English Words Usage

DUTY as "sth that you have to do because it is right or expected" (noun)

ADJ

contractual, legal, mandatory, statutory: Retailers have a statutory duty to provide goods suitable for their purpose

general, primary: the general duty of the police to preserve the peace

professional

civic, public: I feel it is my civic duty to vote

patriotic

family, filial, parental

ethical, moral: He felt it was his moral duty to help his neighbour

absolute, bounden, fundamental, sacred, solemn: I feel it's my bounden duty to try and help her

VERB + DUTY

have, owe (law): You have a legal duty to take reasonable care. The railway company owes a duty of care to all its customers

carry out, do, fulfil, meet, perform: She put down the phone and went out, her duty done. She felt she had fulfilled her duty by providing him with a son

fail in: He had failed in his duty towards his daughter

neglect, shirk: I'd be shirking my duty if I didn't warn him

assign, charge sb with, impose: It was a duty imposed by her father

assume, take on: He took on the duty of maintaining the family home

DUTY + VERB

call: I wanted to stop and chat, but duty called and I went back to the office

PREP

under a/the ~: You are under a statutory duty to keep accurate records

~ of: It's the duty of each and every one of us to do their best for the team. They have a duty of confidentiality

~ to, ~ towards: They have a duty to their parents to work hard

PHRASES

a breach of duty: It was a clear breach of professional duty

do your duty: I suppose we'd better do our duty and report the accident

do your duty by sb: You feel that you have to do your duty by your children

be duty bound to do sth: An employer is not duty bound to provide a reference when an employee leaves

(above and) beyond the call of duty: The time he put in helping new recruits went beyond the call of duty

feel it your duty to do sth: I felt it my duty to go to the police

in breach of a duty: (formal) It was ruled that the injured man was in breach of his duty by not wearing the safety equipment provided

a sense of duty: I did it out of a sense of duty

DUTY as "tasks that you do when you are at work" (noun)

ADJ

light: When I returned to work after my illness I was put on light duties

onerous

day, night: At 10.45 p.m. she reported for night duty

beat, escort, guard, point, sentry: Police usually do beat duty in pairs. The traffic lights were not working so there was a policeman on point duty

daily, routine

official

administrative, professional, secretarial

domestic, household: My household duties were not particularly onerous

military

VERB + DUTY

have: The members of staff each have their own duties

carry out, discharge, do, perform: She was unable to carry out her duties because she was too ill

come on, go on, report for: Colleagues became suspicious when he failed to report for duty

come off, go off: What time do you go off duty?

neglect, shirk: He was accused of neglecting his professional duties

resume, return to: He leaves hospital tomorrow and is expected to resume his duties at the beginning of next month

be released from: Her son was released from duty in the army to visit her in hospital

be relieved of, be suspended from: When he failed to turn up for training, he was relieved of his duties as captain

DUTY + NOUN

doctor, nurse, officer, pharmacist: He went to the police station and spoke to the duty officer

PREP

off ~: I'm off duty tomorrow night

on ~: You're not allowed to drink alcohol on duty

PHRASES

the execution/performance of your duties: The company is liable if you are injured during the execution of your duty

DUTY as "tax" (noun)

ADJ

heavy, high: the heavy duty on cigarettes

low

customs, excise, export, import: excise duty on spirits

alcohol, fuel, tobacco, etc.: Tobacco duty is a major source of revenue for the government

death

QUANT

amount: We tried to estimate the amount of duty we would have to pay

VERB + DUTY

put on, slap on: They are going to put duty on foreign cars

take off

increase, put up, raise: They're going to put up the duty on tobacco

cut, lower, reduce

pay

avoid, evade: They claim that the wine is for personal use and so evade the duty

be liable to: Perfume is liable to import duty

carry: Cider carries duty at the lower rate

be exempt from: Beer for personal use is exempt from duty

PREP

in ~: By changing its supplier, the company saved thousands of pounds in import duty

~ on: You have to pay duty on all electrical goods