See Also: Le Devoir(finance)
devoir(dictionary)
DEVOIR(law)

devoir (iou)



devoir noun. arch. ME.
[Anglo-Norman dever, Old French deveir (mod. devoir) from Latin debere owe. Cf. ENDEAVOUR.]
Duty; a dutiful act. Chiefly in do one's devoir. ME.
One's best or utmost, an effort. LME-L17.
put oneself in devoir [after French ce mettre en devoir do one's utmost.]
(A) service due or rendered. LME-M18.
An act of civility. Usu. in pl., courteous or formal attentions. LME.
A. Seager He paid his devoirs to his hostess and went..into the dining room.
In pl. Moneys due, dues. LME-M17.
? The mod. French spelling was introduced in 15 and the pronunc. was subsequently conformed to it.