duty - Dictionary Definition : Vocabulary.com

When you've done your duty, you've done what you're supposed to and met your responsibilities. Your sense of duty as a citizen might compel you to vote; it might also keep you from voting twice.

A duty is an obligation, and we get new duties with new positions in life, like taking a job, or becoming a parent. You didn't realize one of your duties as club president would be cleaning up after meetings. A police officer or cab driver can be on-duty or off-duty. As an off-duty police officer, you might still feel it's your duty to stop a robbery. Duty also means "tax," which is why people like shopping duty-free at the airport.

PRIMARY MEANINGS OF: duty

1	n	the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force
2	n	a government tax on imports or exports

FULL DEFINITIONS OF: duty

1

n the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force

“we must instill a sense of duty in our children”

“"every possession, a duty"- John D.Rockefeller Jr”

Synonyms:: obligation, responsibility

Types:: show 21 types...; hide 21 types...; job
the responsibility to do something; guardianship, keeping, safekeeping
the responsibility of a guardian or keeper; moral obligation
an obligation arising out of considerations of right and wrong; noblesse oblige
the obligation of those of high rank to be honorable and generous (often used ironically); burden of proof
the duty of proving a disputed charge; civic duty, civic responsibility
the responsibilities of a citizen; filial duty
duty of a child to its parents; imperative
some duty that is essential and urgent; incumbency
a duty that is incumbent upon you; legal duty
acts which the law requires be done or forborne; line of duty
all that is normally required in some area of responsibility; white man's burden
the supposed responsibility of the white race to provide care for their non-white subjects; prerequisite, requirement
something that is required in advance; demand, requirement
required activity; custody, hands
(with `in') guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child; jury duty
the civic duty to serve on a jury; fiduciary duty
the legal duty of a fiduciary to act in the best interests of the beneficiary; obedience, respect
behavior intended to please your parents; precondition
a condition that is a prerequisite; academic requirement
a requirement for admission to or completion of an academic program; essential condition, sine qua non
a prerequisite

Type of:: social control
control exerted (actively or passively) by group action

n work that you are obliged to perform for moral or legal reasons

“the duties of the job”

Types:: show 17 types...; hide 17 types...; chore, job, task
a specific piece of work required to be done as a duty or for a specific fee; function, office, part, role
the actions and activities assigned to or required or expected of a person or group; assignment, duty assignment
a duty that you are assigned to perform (especially in the armed forces); ball-breaker, ball-buster
a job or situation that is demanding and arduous and punishing; stint
an individual's prescribed share of work; capacity
a specified function; hat
an informal term for a person's role; portfolio
the role of the head of a government department; lieu, place, position, stead
the post or function properly or customarily occupied or served by another; second fiddle
a secondary role or function; guard, guard duty, sentry duty, sentry go
the duty of serving as a sentry; fatigue, fatigue duty
labor of a nonmilitary kind done by soldiers (cleaning or digging or draining or so on); charge, commission, mission
a special assignment that is given to a person or group; reassignment
assignment to a different duty; sea-duty, service abroad, shipboard duty
naval service aboard a ship at sea; shore duty
naval service at land bases; scut work, shitwork
trivial, unrewarding, tedious, dirty, and disagreeable chores

Type of:: work
activity directed toward making or doing something

2

n a government tax on imports or exports

“they signed a treaty to lower duties on trade between their countries”

Synonyms:: tariff

Types:: show 10 types...; hide 10 types...; custom, customs, customs duty, impost
money collected under a tariff; tonnage, tonnage duty, tunnage
a tax imposed on ships that enter the US; based on the tonnage of the ship; octroi
a tax on various goods brought into a town; revenue tariff
a tariff imposed to raise revenue; protective tariff
a tariff imposed to protect domestic firms from import competition; import duty
a duty imposed on imports; export duty
a duty imposed on exports; countervailing duty
a duty imposed to offset subsidies by foreign governments; ship money
an impost levied in England to provide money for ships for national defense; anti-dumping duty
a tariff imposed to prevent dumping

Type of:: indirect tax
a tax levied on goods or services rather than on persons or organizations