dutynoun [ C or U ]
uk/ˈdʒuː.ti/us/ˈduː.t̬i/duty noun [ C or U ] (RESPONSIBILITY)
B1 something that you have to do because it is part of your job, or something that you feel is the right thing to do:
The duty of the agency is to act in the best interests of the child.
[ + to infinitive ] I felt it was my duty to tell them the truth.
You have a duty to yourself to take a break once in a while.
He only went to see her out of duty (= because he thought he should).
You should report for duty (= arrive at work) at 8 a.m. on Monday.
What time are you off/on duty (= when do you finish/start work) tomorrow?
be duty bound to do sth
to have to do something because it is your duty:
We are duty bound to justify how we spend our funds.
More examples
- She felt that it was her duty to tell the police about the incident.
- It is surely the duty of the stronger members in a society to help those who are weak.
- I'd be failing in my duty if I didn't tell you about the risks involved in the project.
- He has failed to fulfil his duties as a father.
- During the dispute, many police officers were transferred from traffic duty to the prison service.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Duty, obligation and responsibility
- accountable
- answer for sb/sth
- answer for sth
- answer to sb
- answerable
- brother
- commitment
- fail
- I am not my brother's keeper idiom
- in the hot seat idiom
- incharge
- it's your own lookout idiom
- job
- portfolio
- responsible
- risk
- saddle sb with sth
- social contract
- stick
- stick sb with sth
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duty noun [ C or U ] (TAX)
a tax paid to the government, especially on things that you bring into a country:
There's a high duty on alcohol.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Taxation
- capital gains tax
- capitation
- chargeable
- corporation tax
- custom
- inheritance tax
- levy
- National Insurance
- octroi
- overtax
- rateable value
- tax avoidance
- tax break
- tax credit
- tax exile
- tax-deductible
- tax-exempt
- VATable
- welfare state
- withholding tax
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