plural duties
1
: conduct due to parents and superiors : respect
filial duty and obedience—John Locke
2
a
: obligatory tasks, conduct, service, or functions that arise from one's position (as in life or in a group)
was his duty to support his family
Her primary duty at the meeting was to take attendance.
performs a variety of administrative duties
b(1)
: assigned service or business
was put on kitchen duty
jury duty
(2)
: active military service
returning from duty overseas
(3)
: a period of being on duty
report for duty at 7 a.m.
3
a
: a moral or legal obligation
felt it was their duty to help
b
: the force of moral obligation
will be ready when duty calls
4
: tax
especially
: a tax on imports
a 15 percent duty
5
a
b(1)
: the service required (as of an electric machine) under specified conditions
(2)
: functional application : use
got double duty out of the trip
(3)
: use as a substitute
making the word do duty for the thing—Edward Sapir
1
: done as a duty
pay a duty call on her elderly aunt
2
: being on duty : assigned to specified tasks or functions
the duty officer
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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