释义 |
du·ty I. \ˈd(y)üd.ē, -ütē, -i\ noun (-es) Etymology: Middle English duete, dewte, from Anglo-French dueté, duité, from Old French deu due + -té -ty — more at due 1. a. : conduct due parents and superiors : respectful or obedient behavior : respect < every prince that has parents owes them as much filial duty and obedience — John Locke > b. : conduct or activities showing respect : expression of respect < addressed the king with humble duty > 2. a. : obligatory tasks, conduct, service, or functions enjoined by order or usage according to rank, occupation, or profession < duties that he knew he would have to do — Joseph Conrad > b. : service, ministration, or performance enjoined on a clergyman c. : active military or naval service : assigned participation in activity : service under orders d. : responsibility for maintaining continued operation or status : supervision of a post, ship, or installation in the interest of normal operation — used with the < the commander had the duty on Monday > 3. a. : behavior required by moral obligation, demanded by custom, or enjoined by feelings of rightness or fitness — compare categorical imperative b. : the force of moral obligation : feeling for or sense of such obligation < the call of duty > c. : the conduct or acts of a person motivated by pure goodwill : conduct that produces the greatest good — used in axiological philosophy 4. a. : a payment or service imposed by law or custom; especially : a charge payable to a government b. : a sum paid as a tax on import, export, manufacture, or consumption of goods < no tax or duty shall be laid on articles exported from any state — U.S. Constitution > 5. a. : work done by a particular machine under certain conditions (as of time or energy) < the duty of a stamp may be stated as the number of tons of ore crushed to a given degree of fineness in a given time > b. : a measure of the overall efficiency (as of a machine, engine, pump, power plant, but especially of a water pump) expressed in terms of the amount of work delivered for a certain quantity of input energy 6. also duty of water : the quantity of irrigation water required to satisfy the requirements of the area of a particular crop expressed in acre-inches or acre-feet per acre or as acres per second per foot of water 7. a. : service required (as of a machine) under specified conditions of load and rest < intermittent duty > < continuous duty > b. : use, service, function < if one chain, one rope, or one bolt was amply strong enough for a particular duty — O.S.Nock > especially : service as a replacement or substitute < a big book doing duty as a doorstop > < making the word do duty for the thing — Edward Sapir > Synonyms: see function, obligation, task • - in line of duty - off duty - on duty II. adjective 1. : done as a duty < paying duty calls on his elderly relatives > 2. : being on duty : having the responsibility for certain assigned tasks or functions < he was duty officer the night of the raid > < a duty doctor to take care of emergencies > |