duty
pl: du·ties [Anglo-French
deuté indebtedness, obligation, from
deu owing, due, from Old French see
due ]
1 : tasks, service, or functions that arise from one's position [performing a police officer's
duties]
;also : a period of being on duty see also
jury duty 2 : an obligation assumed (as by contract) or imposed by law to conduct oneself in conformance with a certain standard or to act in a particular way [ of good faith] [a to warn of danger] see also
public duty doctrine,
special duty doctrine duty of can·dor [-kan-dər]
: a duty obligating directors of a corporation to disclose all material facts known to them about a transaction when they are seeking shareholder approval
duty of care : a duty to use due care toward others in order to protect them from unnecessary risk of harm
duty of fair representation : a duty obligating a labor union to represent the employees in its collective bargaining unit fairly and in good faith
duty of loy·al·ty : a duty obligating directors of a corporation to refrain from using their positions to further their own interests rather than the interests of the shareholders (as by self-dealing or fraud)
fiduciary duty : a duty obligating a fiduciary (as an agent or trustee) to act with loyalty and honesty and in a manner consistent with the best interests of the beneficiary of the fiduciary relationship (as a principal or trust beneficiary)
3 : tax ;esp : a tax on imports
off duty : not engaged in a duty [a police officer who is
off duty]
on duty : engaged in a duty