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1828.mshaffer.com › Word [duty]
DUTY, n. 1. That which a person owes to another; that which a person is bound, by any natural, moral or legal obligation, to pay, do or perform. Obedience to princes, magistrates and the laws is the duty of every citizen and subject; obedience, respect and kindness to parents are duties of children; fidelity to friends is a duty; reverence, obedience and prayer to God are indispensable duties; the government and religious instruction of children are duties of parents which they cannot neglect without guilt.2. Forbearance of that which is forbid by morality, law, justice or propriety. It is our duty to refrain from lewdness, intemperance, profaneness and injustice.3. Obedience; submission.4. Act of reverence or respect.They both did duty to their lady.5. The business of a soldier or marine on guard; as, the company is on duty. It is applied also to other services or labor.6. The business of war; military service; as, the regiment did duty in Flanders.7. Tax, toll, impost, or customs; excise; any sum of money required by government to be paid on the importation, exportation, or consumption of goods. An impost on land or other real estate, and on the stock of farmers, is not called a duty, but a direct tax.
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Evolution (or devolution) of this word [duty]
1828 Webster | 1844 Webster | 1913 Webster |
DUTY, n. 1. That which a person owes to another; that which a person is bound, by any natural, moral or legal obligation, to pay, do or perform. Obedience to princes, magistrates and the laws is the duty of every citizen and subject; obedience, respect and kindness to parents are duties of children; fidelity to friends is a duty; reverence, obedience and prayer to God are indispensable duties; the government and religious instruction of children are duties of parents which they cannot neglect without guilt.2. Forbearance of that which is forbid by morality, law, justice or propriety. It is our duty to refrain from lewdness, intemperance, profaneness and injustice.3. Obedience; submission.4. Act of reverence or respect.They both did duty to their lady.5. The business of a soldier or marine on guard; as, the company is on duty. It is applied also to other services or labor.6. The business of war; military service; as, the regiment did duty in Flanders.7. Tax, toll, impost, or customs; excise; any sum of money required by government to be paid on the importation, exportation, or consumption of goods. An impost on land or other real estate, and on the stock of farmers, is not called a duty, but a direct tax. | DU'TY, n. [from due, Fr. dû.]- That which a person owes to another; that which a person is bound, by any natural, moral or legal obligation, to pay, do or perform. Obedience to princes, magistrates and the laws, is the duty of every citizen and subject; obedience, respect and kindness to parents are duties of children; fidelity to friends is a duty; reverence, obedience and prayer to God are indispensable duties; the government and religious instruction of children are duties of parents which they can not neglect without guilt.
- Forbearance of that which is forbid by morality, law, justice or propriety. It is our duty to refrain from lewdness, intemperance, profaneness and injustice.
- Obedience; submission.
- Act of reverence or respect.
They both did duty to their lady. – Spenser.
- The business of a soldier or marine on guard; as, the company is on duty. It is applied also to other services or labor.
- The business of war; military service; as, the regiment did duty in Flanders.
- Tax, toll, impost, or customs; excise; any sum of money required by Government to be paid on the importation, exportation, or consumption of goods. An impost on land or other real estate, and on the stock of farmers, is not called a duty, but a direct tax. – United States.
- In enginery, the amount of weight which is lifted by a steam engine, by a certain quantity of coal.
| Du"ty
- That which is due; payment.
- That which a person is bound by moral
obligation to do, or refrain from doing; that which one ought to do;
service morally obligatory.
- Hence, any assigned service or business;
as, the duties of a policeman, or a soldier; to be on
duty.
- Specifically, obedience or submission due
to parents and superiors.
- Respect; reverence; regard; act of
respect; homage.
- The efficiency of an
engine, especially a steam pumping engine, as measured by work done
by a certain quantity of fuel; usually, the number of pounds of water
lifted one foot by one bushel of coal (94 lbs. old standard), or by 1
cwt. (112 lbs., England, or 100 lbs., United States).
- Tax, toll, impost, or
customs; excise; any sum of money required by government to be paid
on the importation, exportation, or consumption of goods.
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1828 Webster | 1844 Webster | 1913 Webster |
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Duty DUTY, noun 1. That which a person owes to another; that which a person is bound, by any natural, moral or legal obligation, to pay, do or perform. Obedience to princes, magistrates and the laws is the duty of every citizen and subject; obedience, respect and kindness to parents are duties of children; fidelity to friends is a duty; reverence, obedience and prayer to God are indispensable duties; the government and religious instruction of children are duties of parents which they cannot neglect without guilt. 2. Forbearance of that which is forbid by morality, law, justice or propriety. It is our duty to refrain from lewdness, intemperance, profaneness and injustice. 3. Obedience; submission. 4. Act of reverence or respect. They both did duty to their lady. 5. The business of a soldier or marine on guard; as, the company is on duty It is applied also to other services or labor. 6. The business of war; military service; as, the regiment did duty in Flanders. 7. Tax, toll, impost, or customs; excise; any sum of money required by government to be paid on the importation, exportation, or consumption of goods. An impost on land or other real estate, and on the stock of farmers, is not called a duty but a direct tax.
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Hard-cover Edition |
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506 |
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Compact Edition |
304 |
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215 |
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CD-ROM |
260 |
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175 |
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* As a note, I have purchased each of these products. In fact, as we have been developing the Project:: 1828 Reprint, I have purchased several of the bulky hard-cover dictionaries. My opinion is that the 2000-page hard-cover edition is the only good viable solution at this time. The compact edition was a bit disappointing and the CD-ROM as well. |
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