duty

B1 Topic:Law & Government

Also spelled dooties

US /ˈdjuː.ti/ See IPA manual

Freq #1200

Meanings

1

noun
Something you have to do because it is right or because the law or your job requires it.

It is your duty to report a crime if you witness one.
2

noun
The state of being at work and responsible for a task.

The nurse is on duty from six in the evening until six in the morning.
3

noun
A tax that you pay on goods, especially those brought into a country.

You may have to pay duty on items bought abroad.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · something you have to do... obligation responsibility

3 noun · a tax that you pay on... excise duty

Opposites

duty-free right

Word family

Forms duties

Derived forms chimney-dutyduteousdutiabledutieddutifuldutilessduty-boundduty-freeduty-mandutybounddutylessdutyman

Related forms due

Appears in

Phrases (5)

See all

bounden duty
a responsibility regarded as unavoidable because of a strong moral obligation

Adjective + noun
jury duty
service as a member of a jury

Noun + noun
sentry duty
the task of keeping guard over a place

Noun + noun
tonnage duty
a charge on a ship based on its measured tonnage

Noun + noun
export duty
a tax charged on goods sent out of a country

Noun + noun

Proverbs (2)

See all

Etymology

From Middle English duete, from Middle English dewe + Middle English -te. Equivalent to due + -ty.

duete Middle English dewe Middle English -te Middle English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Law & Government

External links

# duty

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈdjuː.ti/
**Frequency rank:** 1200

## Meanings
1. Something you have to do because it is right or because the law or your job requires it.
2. The state of being at work and responsible for a task.
3. A tax that you pay on goods, especially those brought into a country.

## Examples
- It is your duty to report a crime if you witness one.
- The nurse is on duty from six in the evening until six in the morning.
- You may have to pay duty on items bought abroad.

## Antonyms
- duty-free
- right

## Derived Forms
- chimney-duty
- duteous
- dutiable
- dutied
- dutiful
- dutiless
- duty-bound
- duty-free
- duty-man
- dutybound
- dutyless
- dutyman

## Related Forms
- due

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: duete
- Root: dewe
- Root: -te

## Etymology
From Middle English duete, from Middle English dewe + Middle English -te. Equivalent to due + -ty.

## AI Etymology
Duty comes from Middle English duete, from Middle English dewe + Middle English -te. Equivalent to due + -ty. In current use, the main senses are “Something you have to do because it is right or because the law or your job requires it” and “The state of being at work and responsible for a task”.

## Topics
- Law & Government

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