duty (redirected from doing duty for)

duty bound

(to do something) forced by a sense of duty and honor to do something. Good evening, madam. I'm duty bound to inform you that we have arrested your husband. No one made me say that. I was duty bound.

See also: bound

go above and beyond one's duty and go above and beyond the call of duty

Fig. to exceed what is required of one. Doing what you ask goes above and beyond my duty. My job requires me to go above and beyond the call of duty almost every day.

See also: above, and, beyond

in the line of duty

Fig. as part of one's expected duties. When soldiers fight people in a war, it's in the line of duty. Police officers have to do things they may not like in the line of duty.

See also: line

off duty

not working at one's job. (The opposite of on duty.) I'm sorry, I can't talk to you until I'm off duty. The police officer couldn't help me because he was off duty.

on active duty

in battle or ready to go into battle. (Military.) The soldier was on active duty for ten months. That was a long time to be on active duty.

on duty

at work; currently doing one's work. (The opposite of off duty.) I can't help you now, but I'll be on duty in about an hour. Who is on duty here? I need some help.

relieve one of one's duties

Euph. to fire someone; to dismiss someone from employment. I am afraid I must relieve you of your duties. After the scandal, she was relieved of her duties at the embassy.

See also: one, relieve

shirk one's duty

to neglect one's job or task. The guard was fired for shirking his duty. You cannot expect to continue shirking your duty without someone noticing.

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be duty bound to do something

if you are duty bound to do something, you have to do it because it is your duty The government is duty bound to compensate those who lost money. I've been given a certain amount of training so I feel duty bound to stay in the job for at least a year.

See also: bound

do (double) duty as/for something   (American & Australian)

to also have another purpose They make an electronic identity card that will do duty for a credit card and pocket calculator. She's really the secretary but she does double duty as the receptionist during Katrina's lunch hour.

heavy-duty  (American & Australian informal)

complicated and very serious (always before noun) Studies show that the homeless develop some heavy-duty health problems living on the streets.

in the line of duty

if you do something in the line of duty, or if something happens to you in the line of duty, you do it or it happens as a part of your job He was killed in the line of duty.

See also: line

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(above and) beyond the call of duty (spoken)

much more than should be expected If your waiter goes beyond the call of duty, leave a bigger tip.

Related vocabulary: above and beyond something

Etymology: first used about police officers, fire fighters, or soldiers who were injured or killed while doing their jobs

See also: beyond, call

do double duty

1. to do two jobs at one time Kudrow does double duty in the show, playing her regular role and the character's twin sister.

2. to be used for two different activities Three conference rooms do double duty as dining rooms when the main dining room is full.

See also: double

duty bound to do something

required to do something Investigators are duty bound to find out what happened and make a report.

See also: bound

in the line of duty

while doing what was expected in a particular job A police officer was killed in the line of duty while chasing a suspect.

Usage notes: mostly used about police and others who do dangerous work

See also: line

off duty

not working She goes off duty at midnight. The police officer was charged with robbing Castillo while he was off duty.

Usage notes: usually said about soldiers, police, medical workers, and people who work a scheduled period of time

on duty

working A physical therapist is on duty in the fitness center from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. He didn't have time to talk about it right then because he was on duty for another three hours.

Usage notes: usually said about soldiers, police, medical workers, and people who work a scheduled period of time