different between duty vs appointment

English

Etymology

From Middle English duete, from Middle English dewe) + Middle English -te, (borrowed from Old French -te from Latin -t?tem, accusative masculine singular of -t?s). Akin to due + -ty (Alternative form of -ity).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?dju?ti/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /du?ti/
• Rhymes: -u?ti
• Homophone: doody (for some speakers)

Noun

duty (countable and uncountable, plural duties)

1. That which one is morally or legally obligated to do.
   • 1805, 21 October, Horatio Nelson

     England expects that every man will do his duty.

   • Captain Edward Carlisle […] felt a curious sensation of helplessness seize upon him as he met her steady gaze, […]; he could not tell what this prisoner might do. He cursed the fate which had assigned such a duty, cursed especially that fate which forced a gallant soldier to meet so superb a woman as this under handicap so hard.
2. The state of being at work and responsible for or doing a particular task.

3. A tax placed on imports or exports; a tariff.

   customs duty; excise duty

4. (obsolete) One's due, something one is owed; a debt or fee.
   • 1526, William Tyndale, trans. Bible, Matthew XX:

     Take that which is thy duty, and goo thy waye.

5. (obsolete) Respect; reverence; regard; act of respect; homage.
6. The efficiency of an engine, especially a steam pumping engine, as measured by work done by a certain quantity of fuel; usually, the number of pounds of water lifted one foot by one bushel of coal (94 lbs. old standard), or by 1 cwt. (112 lbs., England, or 100 lbs., United States).

Usage notes

• Adjectives often used with "duty": public, private, moral, legal, social, double, civic, contractual, political, judicial, etc.

Synonyms

• (that which one is obligated to do): obligation

Antonyms

• duty-free (taxes)
• (that which one is obligated to do): right

Derived terms

Related terms

• due

Translations

Further reading

• duty in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• duty in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• duty at OneLook Dictionary Search

Lower Sorbian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [?dut?]

Participle

duty

1. past passive participle of du?

Declension

English

Etymology

From Middle French apointement (French appointement). See appoint.

Pronunciation

• (General American, Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /??p??nt.m?nt/
• (Southern American English) IPA^(key): /??p??nt.m?nt/, [??p????n?m?n?], [??p??????m?n?]

Noun

appointment (plural appointments)

1. The act of appointing a person to hold an office or to have a position of trust

2. The state of being appointed to a service or office; an office to which one is appointed

3. Stipulation; agreement; the act of fixing by mutual agreement.
4. An arrangement between people to meet; an engagement.

5. (religion) Decree; direction; established order or constitution.
6. (law) The exercise of the power of designating (under a power of appointment) a person to enjoy an estate or other specific property; also, the instrument by which the designation is made.
7. (government) The assignment of a person by an official to perform a duty, such as a presidential appointment of a judge to a court.
8. (in the plural) Equipment, furniture.
9. (US) A honorary part or exercise, as an oration, etc., at a public exhibition of a college.

10. (obsolete) The allowance paid to a public officer.

Synonyms

• command
• designation
• direction
• equipment
• establishment
• order

Antonyms

• (act of appointing): dismissal

Translations

References

• appointment in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

See also

• calendar
• meeting
• schedule