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devoirs - 2 dictionary results

de⋅voir

  [duh-vwahr, dev-wahr; Fr. duh-vwar]
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–noun, plural de⋅voirs  [duh-vwahrz, dev-wahrz; Fr. duh-vwar] .
1. an act of civility or respect.
2. devoirs, respects or compliments.
3. something for which a person is responsible; duty.
Origin:
1250–1300; ME devoir, deveir, dever < OF devoir (AF deveir, dever) < L dēbēre to owe; cf. debt
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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de·voir   (dəv-wär', děv'wär')   
n.  
  1. An act or expression of respect or courtesy; civility. Often used in the plural: pay one's devoirs.
  2. Duty or responsibility.

[Middle English, duty, from Old French, from devoir, to owe, from Latin dēbēre; see ghabh- in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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