duty
/ˈdjuːtɪ/noun
(pl. -ies)
1
- a moral or legal obligation; a responsibility（道德或法律上的）责任; 义务; 职责：
it's my duty to uphold the law
维护法律是我的职责
she was determined to do her duty as a citizen
她决定要尽一个公民的责任
mass noun a strong sense of duty.强烈的责任感。
1.1
- as modifier(of a visit or other undertaking) done from a sense of moral obligation rather than for pleasure（访问等）出于责任感的, 出于责任心的：
a fifteen-minute duty visit.
一次15分钟的礼节性拜访。
2
- （常作duties）a task or action that someone is required to perform（必须履行的）职责; 责任：
the queen's official duties
女王的职责
your duties will include operating the switchboard
你的职责将包括操作交换台
mass noun Juliet reported for duty.朱丽叶报到上班。
2.1
- mass noun military service兵役, 军务：
combat duty in the army.
军队中的战斗任务。
2.2
- as modifier(of a person) engaged in their regular work（人）值班：
a duty nurse.
一位值班护士。
2.3
- mass noun（亦作duties）performance of prescribed church services by a priest or minister（牧师的）行礼拜式：
he was willing to take Sunday duties.
他愿意做星期日的行礼拜式。
3
- a payment due and enforced by law or custom, in particular税, 尤指：
3.1
- a payment levied on the import, export, manufacture, or sale of goods（对货物的进出口、制造或销售所征的）税：
a 6 per cent duty on imports
6％的进口关税
mass noun goods subject to excise duty.应交消费税的货物。
3.2
- Brit. a payment levied on the transfer of property, for licences, and for the legal recognition of documents〈英〉（对财产转让、执照或公证所征的）税。
4
- technical the measure of an engine's effectiveness in units of work done per unit of fuel〈技〉（发动机的）能率, 功率。
短语
do duty as（或for）
- serve or act as a substitute for something else代替…之用, 充当：
the rusting shack which did duty as the bridge.
当桥用的生锈棚屋。
on （或off） duty
- engaged (or not engaged) in one's regular work在（或不在）值班（的）, 在上（或下了）班（的）：
the doorman had gone off duty and the lobby was unattended.
看门人下班了, 大厅无人照看。
词源
late Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French duete, from Old French deu （see DUE）.