duty
duty — noun
1. the tasks and activities that you are expected to do as part of a particular job
the tasks and activities that you are expected to do as part of a particular job, role, or position, either because they are required by your employer or because they naturally belong to that role.
One of Hari's duties as store manager includes checking inventory every morning.
possessive + duty + as + role
The nurse's main duty is to monitor patients and report any changes to the doctor.
duty + to-infinitive describing core task
Lucía took over Gabriel's reception duties while she was away at a training session.
possessive + duty (plural)
Cleaning the lab equipment after each experiment is a duty shared by all the research assistants.
It is your duty as a team member to report any safety problems you notice.
it is [possessive] duty as [role] + to-infinitive
- main duty
- primary duty
- official duty
- daily duties
- household duties
- perform a duty
- carry out a duty
- take over duties
- task
more concrete and specific; a task is one single piece of work, while duty covers ongoing responsibility
- responsibility
broader; can refer to a duty that you choose or accept, not just one assigned to you
- role
focuses on the function or part you play, not the specific actions required
- choice
something you do because you want to, not because you are expected to
Grammar Patterns
duty + to-infinitive
duty + of + noun
possessive + duty
Usage Note
Commonly paired with main, primary, or official to single out the most important task. The phrase 'it is your duty to…' can sound formal in everyday workplace conversation.
Common Mistakes
2. a deep personal sense that you ought to act a certain way from moral conviction,
a deep personal sense that you ought to act a certain way from moral conviction, even without being told — for instance, shielding a younger sibling from harm or sharing an honest opinion when it might upset someone.
Élise felt it was her duty to stay with the injured hiker until help arrived.
it was [possessive] duty to-infinitive
Most people believe that a strong sense of duty keeps a community honest and safe.
Reuben acted out of duty rather than personal gain when he returned the wallet he found on the bus.
out of duty (adverbial phrase)
The police officer said it was her duty to protect everyone equally, no matter their background.
Hiro decided that his duty as a citizen required him to volunteer at the local shelter.
duty as [role] — moral obligation tied to identity
- sense of duty
- out of duty
- moral duty
- civic duty
- duty to speak up
- do one's duty
- neglect one's duty
- beyond the call of duty
- obligation
more neutral and often legal; duty feels more personal and moral
- responsibility
broader; can refer to something you are in charge of, not necessarily a moral call
- conscience
the inner voice of right and wrong that gives rise to a sense of duty
- neglect
the failure to do what duty requires
Grammar Patterns
duty + to-infinitive
duty + of + verb-ing
sense of duty
it is [possessive] duty to…
Usage Note
Often uncountable in phrases like 'out of duty' or 'a sense of duty'. This sense differs from sense 1 (JOB RESPONSIBILITIES) because it is driven by personal conscience, not by a job description.
Common Mistakes
3. a government charge you are required to pay when bringing goods into a country f
a government charge you are required to pay when bringing goods into a country from abroad, or sometimes when buying particular goods such as alcohol or fuel inside the country.
Marta had to pay a high duty on the electronic equipment she brought back from Japan.
duty on + goods
The duty on imported cheese is much lower now than it was ten years ago.
Constanza declared the watches at customs and paid the required duty before leaving the airport.
pay duty at customs (fixed context)
Feng's wool sweaters from Scotland were exempt from duty since they cost under 150 pounds.
exempt from duty [condition: value under threshold]
Darius bought perfume at the duty-free shop to avoid paying the usual import tax.
duty-free (compound adjective from this sense)
- import duty
- export duty
- customs duty
- duty on goods
- pay duty
- exempt from duty
- duty-free
- duty-paid
- stamp duty
- exemption
freedom from having to pay duty
Grammar Patterns
duty on + goods
duty-free
Usage Note
Often uncountable when referring to the tax system in general ('duty on alcohol'), but countable when referring to a specific payment ('a 15% duty'). The compound adjective 'duty-free' refers to shops or products sold without this tax.
Common Mistakes
4. the proper care, respect, or loyalty that you should show toward someone because
the proper care, respect, or loyalty that you should show toward someone because of your relationship with them — for example, a doctor's duty to keep patient information private, or a child's duty to look after aging parents.
A lawyer owes a duty of confidentiality to every client she represents.
duty of + [specific obligation]
Eshe felt a strong duty toward her grandmother, who had raised her since childhood.
duty toward [someone]
The company failed in its duty of care when it ignored the safety warnings about the factory roof.
Teachers have a duty to treat all students fairly and without favouritism.
- duty of care
- duty of loyalty
- duty of confidentiality
- duty toward
- fiduciary duty
- filial duty
- owe a duty
- breach of duty
- obligation
more neutral; can be legal or social without the personal relationship element
- allegiance
stronger, implies loyalty to a country or leader rather than care for an individual
- deference
focuses on respectful yielding to another's wishes, not active care
- betrayal
the act of breaking the trust or loyalty that duty requires
Grammar Patterns
[possessive] duty to [someone]
duty of + care/respect/loyalty
Usage Note
Most common in formal and legal contexts with phrases like 'duty of care,' 'duty of loyalty,' or 'fiduciary duty.' This sense differs from sense 2 (MORAL OBLIGATION) because it is grounded in a specific relationship or legal framework rather than general conscience.
Common Mistakes
doing more than what is expected or required in a job or role, especially through effort or bravery that goes beyond normal expectations.
The firefighter ran into the burning building three times, which was far above and beyond the call of duty.
Christopher received a special award for going above and beyond the call of duty during the flood rescue.
do double duty
idiomto serve two purposes or functions at the same time.
The storage box does double duty as a coffee table in the small apartment.
Amihan's laptop bag does double duty as her overnight bag for short work trips.
in the line of duty
idiomwhile doing your job, especially when referring to dangerous or difficult tasks that are part of a particular profession.
The police officer was injured in the line of duty when she stopped a speeding car.
The paramedic had seen many difficult situations in the line of duty over twenty years.
on duty / off duty
idiomworking or not working at a particular time; responsible for your job tasks or free from them.
The security guard on duty noticed the open window and called the manager.
Nurses are not allowed to drink alcohol while they are on duty.
Doing more than what is expected or required in a job or task.
Maya went above and beyond the call of duty to help her team finish the project.
Did the firefighter go above and beyond the call of duty when he rescued the cat?
a/your bounden duty
idiomA strong moral or legal responsibility that you feel you must fulfill.
Brian considered it his bounden duty to care for his elderly parents.
Is it a bounden duty for citizens to vote in elections?
To serve two different purposes or roles at the same time.
This sofa does double duty as a bed for guests.
Sara's laptop does double duty as her work computer and entertainment device.
on/off duty
idiomWorking at a particular time, especially in a job that requires being available.
The nurse on duty checked the patient's temperature every hour.
Who is on duty at the front desk tonight?
duty — adjective
1. done because it is expected or required by social rules, not because you want to
done because it is expected or required by social rules, not because you want to do it — for example, a brief visit paid out of a sense of obligation rather than genuine desire.
The ambassador made a brief duty call at the consulate before returning home.
duty call (fixed phrase)
Darius paid a duty visit to his elderly aunt every Sunday afternoon.
duty visit (obligatory social visit)
The mayor attended a duty dinner with the visiting delegates, though she looked tired.
Imani paid a duty visit to her former teacher at the hospital before a meeting.
duty visit (standard set phrase for obligatory visit)
- duty visit
- duty call
- duty dinner
- obligatory
more common and flexible; can be used with any noun
- compulsory
stronger, implies a rule or law requires it
- voluntary
done freely, not because you have to
Grammar Patterns
duty + noun
Usage Note
This sense is primarily attributive — it appears only before a noun (duty call, duty visit). The word is not freely used as a general adjective; it is restricted to a small set of set phrases.
Common Mistakes
2. currently working at your assigned job or task during a particular period, espec
currently working at your assigned job or task during a particular period, especially in professions that operate around the clock such as nursing, security, or emergency services.
Only staff who are on duty are allowed inside the hospital after ten o'clock at night.
be on duty (predicative phrase)
Gabriel was on duty at the front desk when the fire alarm went off.
The off-duty pilot helped the flight attendants when an emergency happened on the plane.
off-duty (opposite, used as compound adj)
Constanza checked the schedule to see which security guard would be on duty that night.
- be on duty
- come on duty
- go on duty
- report for duty
- off duty
- working
general term, not specific to shift-based or emergency roles
- off duty
not working at the current time
Grammar Patterns
be on duty
be off duty
Usage Note
Always used after the verb 'be' (predicative position), not before a noun. The compound forms 'on-duty' (with hyphen) and 'off-duty' can appear before a noun as in 'off-duty police officer.'
Common Mistakes
Word family
- dutifuladjectiveB2
- dutifullyadverbB2
- duty-freeadjectiveB1
- duty-boundadjectiveC1
- undutifuladjectiveC1
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
All four words can relate to something you 'should do,' but they operate in different domains. Duty carries the strongest sense of moral or professional compulsion — it is something you must do because of your role or conscience. Responsibility is broader; it covers anything you are in charge of, whether chosen or assigned, and it is the most natural word for everyday tasks ('I am responsible for feeding the cat'). Obligation is more neutral and often legal or social in tone ('a contractual obligation to deliver the goods by Friday'), whereas duty feels more personal. Tax, the outlier here, matches duty only in the narrow sense of a government levy on goods (customs duty). To avoid confusion: use duty for role-based or moral requirements ('a soldier's duty'), responsibility for general ownership of tasks ('her responsibilities at home'), obligation for binding agreements ('legal obligation to pay'), and tax for government charges ('income tax').
Common collocations
Nouns
- sense of duty
- line of duty
- call of duty
- breach of duty
- performance of duty
- duty of care
Phrases
- beyond the call of duty
- in the line of duty
- on duty / off duty
- above and beyond
Etymology
The noun 'duty' comes from the Anglo-French word 'dueté,' meaning 'what is owing' or 'that which is due.' This traces back to Old French 'deu' (past participle of 'devoir' — to owe), which itself comes from Latin 'debere' (to owe, to have a duty to pay). The idea of obligation — whether financial, moral, or professional — has been at the core of the word since it entered English in the 13th century. The sense of a tax on imported goods (customs duty) developed in the 1400s, and the adjective uses in 'duty call' and 'on duty' followed in the 1600s.