while on duty — during the time when someone is working or officially responsible
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: during the time when someone is working or officially responsible
Pronunciation (IPA): /waɪl ɑːn ˈduːti/
Example Sentences
- The doctor cannot drink alcohol while on duty, but can eat all the hospital cafeteria cookies.
- Police officers must remain alert while on duty.
- She received a phone call from her mother while on duty at the fire station.
while on duty
NOUN[/waɪl ɑːn ˈduːti/]
during the time when someone is working or officially responsible
While on duty, he appreciates beauty with something fruity!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
While derives from Old English hwīl, meaning 'a period of time' or 'an interval'. Duty comes from Anglo-Norman French duete, itself from Latin debitus (owed or due), originally meaning 'something owed or obligatory'. Together, the phrase denotes time spent fulfilling an obligation or performing assigned responsibilities.
Breakdown
while (Old English hwīl, 'time' + on (preposition, 'positioned at') + duty (Anglo-Norman French duete from Latin debitus, 'that which is owed or obligatory'). The compound phrase combines a temporal marker with an obligation indicator.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The doctor cannot drink alcohol while on duty, but can eat all the hospital cafeteria cookies.”
“Police officers must remain alert while on duty.”
“She received a phone call from her mother while on duty at the fire station.”
“The pilot discovered his fear of heights while on duty - talk about bad timing!”
📚Related Words
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