do one's duty

1. Defecate or urinate, as in Please keep the dog outdoors until he does his duty . This euphemism for attending to such needs is heard less often today. [1930s]

2. Do one's tasks or what is expected of one. For example, He was only doing his duty when he made the children finish their work . [Early 1500s]

Example Sentences

As someone who’s been working on a book about cowardice for over a decade, I know that it’s a slippery concept, but also that classical, linguistic and military tradition define it pretty clearly as the failure, born of excessive fear, to do one’s duty.

From Salon

"I felt it was my duty to come. I certainly felt it would be an unpleasant experience, but that's not a good enough reason not to do one's duty."

From BBC

However, it is not only virtuous to do one's duty, but it is also the duty of the individual to do his best.

From Project Gutenberg

To do one's duty sounds a rather cold and cheerless business, but somehow in the end it does give one a queer sort of satisfaction.

From Project Gutenberg

It's easy to do one's duty when one doesn't care.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• accept
• adhere to
• carry out
• comply
• embrace
• execute
• heed
• live by
• observe
• surrender