n., pl. -ties.

1. The state, quality, or fact of being responsible.
2. Something for which one is responsible; a duty, obligation, or burden.

In object technology, a processing step that an object can perform.

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Obligation to perform. In the classical view, this obligation formally comes down from a superior position and is inherent in any job (it has its origins in the rights of private property as defined by the appropriate laws). In the behavioral view, responsibility must and should be delegated; a successive dividing and passing down of obligation occurs. The appropriate amount of authority or power must be delegated with the responsibility. However, a higher position can never rid itself of ultimate responsibility.

noun

An act or course of action that is demanded of one, as by position, custom, law, or religion: burden¹, charge, commitment, duty, imperative, must, need, obligation. See obligation.

n

Definition: accountability, blame
Antonyms: exemption, freedom, immunity, irresponsibility

n

Definition: maturity, trustworthiness
Antonyms: distrust, immaturity, irresponsibility

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n. 1. the obligation to carry forward an assigned task to a successful conclusion. With responsibility goes authority to direct and take the necessary action to ensure success.

2. the obligation for the proper custody, care, and safekeeping of property or funds entrusted to the possession or supervision of an individual. Compare with accountability.

See the Introduction, Abbreviations and Pronunciation for further details.

Socially, peoples' responsibilities are those things for which they are accountable; failure to discharge a responsibility renders one liable to some censure or penalty. A job, or profession, or social role will be partly defined in terms of the responsibilities it involves. The extent of responsibility not just for oneself but for others is a central topic for political and ethical theory (‘Am I my brother's keeper?’). Understanding the nature of our causal responsibility for our own thoughts, natures, and actions is the main problem in any theory of action. See free will.

The obligation to answer for an act and to repair any injury caused by that act, 426 P. 2d 828, 835; the state of being answerable for an obligation, 316 S.W. 2d 662, 671; as used in statutes such as those governing awards of local public contracts to "responsible bidders," the term refers to "the characteristic the absence of which would cause fair-minded and reasonable men to believe it was not in the best interest of the municipality to award the contract to the lowest bidder," 432 A. 2d 564, 566, and may involve experience, financial ability and adequate facilities. 149 A. 2d 228, 234.

(DOD) 1. The obligation to carry forward an assigned task to a successful conclusion. With responsibility goes authority to direct and take the necessary action to ensure success. 2. The obligation for the proper custody, care, and safekeeping of property or funds entrusted to the possession or supervision of an individual. See also accountability.

A cynical view of the world by Ambrose Bierce

n.

A detachable burden easily shifted to the shoulders of God, Fate, Fortune, Luck or one's neighbor. In the days of astrology it was customary to unload it upon a star.

    Alas, things ain't what we should see
    If Eve had let that apple be;
    And many a feller which had ought
    To set with monarchses of thought,
    Or play some rosy little game
    With battle-chaps on fields of fame,
    Is downed by his unlucky star
    And hollers:  "Peanuts! -- here you are!"
                                                   "The Sturdy Beggar"

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IN BRIEF: n. - The social force that binds you to your obligations and the courses of action demanded by that force; A form of trustworthiness; The proper sphere or extent of your activities.

Few things help an individual more than to place responsibility upon him, and to let him know that you trust him. — Booker T. Washington

Quotes:

"Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job." - Douglas Adams

"You must choose the thoughts and actions that will lead you on to success." - R. C. Allen

"To shun one's cross is to make it heavier." - Henri Frederic Amiel

"I am responsible. Although I may not be able to prevent the worst from happening, I am responsible for my attitude toward the inevitable misfortunes that darken life. Bad things do happen; how I respond to them defines my character and the quality of my life. I can choose to sit in perpetual sadness, immobilized by the gravity of my loss, or I can choose to rise from the pain and treasure the most precious gift I have ? life itself." - Walter Anderson

"Each of us has the right and the responsibility to asses the road which lie ahead and those over which we have traveled, and if the feature road looms ominous or unpromising, and the road back uninviting-inviting, then we need to gather our resolve and carrying only the necessary baggage, step off that road into another direction. If the new choice is also unpalatable, without embarrassment, we must be ready to change that one as well." - Maya Angelou

"No one will dare maintain that it is better to do injustice than to bear it." - Aristotle

See more famous quotes about Responsibility

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Common misspelling(s) of responsibility

• responnsibilty

Dansk (Danish)
n. - ansvar, ansvarlighed, forpligtelse

idioms:

• diminished responsibility    utilregnelighed
• on one's own responsibility    på eget ansvar
• responsibility to    ansvar over for
• responsibility towards    ansvar over for

Nederlands (Dutch)
verantwoordelijk- heid, aansprakelijkheid, betrouwbaarheid verminderde toerekenings- vatbaarheid op iemands eigen verantwoordelijk- heid

Français (French)
n. - responsabilité

idioms:

• diminished responsibility    responsabilité atténuée
• on one's own responsibility    sous sa propre responsabilité
• responsibility to    responsabilité envers
• responsibility towards    responsabilité envers

Deutsch (German)
n. - Verantwortung, Verpflichtung

idioms:

• diminished responsibility    verminderte Zurechnungsfähigkeit
• on one's own responsibility    auf eigene Verantwortung
• responsibility to    Verantwortung für
• responsibility towards    Verantwortung für

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - ευθύνη, υπευθυνότητα

idioms:

• diminished responsibility    (νομ.) μειωμένη ευθύνη
• on one's own responsibility    με αποκλειστική μου ευθύνη
• responsibility to    ευθύνη έναντι
• responsibility towards    ευθύνη έναντι

Italiano (Italian)
responsabilitý

idioms:

• diminished responsibility    responsabilità ridotta
• on one's own responsibility    sotto la propria responsabilitý
• responsibility to/towards    responsabilitý verso

Português (Portuguese)
n. - responsabilidade (f)

idioms:

• diminished responsibility    pouca responsabilidade
• on one's own responsibility    por sua conta e risco (coloq.)
• responsibility to/towards    responsabilidade por

Русский (Russian)
ответственность, обязанность

idioms:

• diminished responsibility    ограниченная ответственность
• on one's own responsibility    на свой страх и риск
• responsibility to/towards    ответственность перед

Español (Spanish)
n. - responsabilidad, seriedad, formalidad

idioms:

• diminished responsibility    responsabilidad atenuada
• on one's own responsibility    bajo su propia responsabilidad
• responsibility to    responsabilidad ante
• responsibility towards    responsabilidad ante

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - ansvar

中文（简体） (Chinese (Simplified))
责任, 负担, 职责

idioms:

• diminished responsibility    减轻的责任
• on one's own responsibility    自行负责, 自作主张
• responsibility to    对...负责
• responsibility towards    对...的责任

中文（繁體） (Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 責任, 負擔, 職責

idioms:

• diminished responsibility    減輕的責任
• on one's own responsibility    自行負責, 自作主張
• responsibility to    對...負責
• responsibility towards    對...的責任

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 책임, 책임이 되는 것, 신뢰성

idioms:

• responsibility to    의무

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 責任, 責務, 義務

idioms:

• diminished responsibility    限定責任能力
• responsibility to/towards    対する責任

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) مسؤوليه على مسؤوليته الخاصه‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮אחריות, תחום האחריות‬

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responsibility chart