devoir

Definizione monolingua

devoir

devoir

1. (intransitive) must, to have to
2. (literary, intransitive) (in imperfect subjunctive, with inversion of subject) (even) though it be necessary (+ infinitive)
   • 1842, George Sand, Consuelo:

     Eh bien, se dit-elle, jirai, dussé-je affronter les dangers réels [...]. ? Well, she said to herself, Ill go, even if I have to face real danger.

devoir (plural devoirs)

1. (archaic) Duty, business; something which one must do.
   • 1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essays, vol. 1 p. 149:

     he imprint not so much in his schollers mind [...] where Marcellus died, as because he was unworthy of his devoire he died there [...].

   • ""1787"", The History of Lady Emma Melcombe and her family a novel by Winifred Marshall Gales, 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!

Definizione dizionario devoir

Altri significati:

(archaic) Duty, business; something which one must do.