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devoir - What does it mean?

Definition of 'devoir'

English

Noun

(en-noun)
  • (archaic) Duty, business; something which one must do.
  • *, vol.1, p.149:
  • *:he imprint not so much in his schollers mind.
  • * 1787 , Winifred Marshall Gales, The History of Lady Emma Melcombe and her family , vol.3. p.155:
  • I should have long ere this paid my devoirs to the inhabitants of Raymond Castle.
  • * 1885 , Sir Richard Burton, The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night , vol.1:
  • Then quoth the portress to the mistress of the house, "O my lady, arise and go to thy place that I in turn may do my devoir ."
  • * 1983 , (Lawrence Durrell), Sebastian'', Faber & Faber 2004 (''Avignon Quintet ), p.1057:
  • That is the little bit of essential information which enables us to complete our devoir – without it we are just ordinary people, dispossessed, taken unawares: the original sin!

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