🧾 Bounden Duty: A Firm Obligation Explained 🎯
Ah, the phrase “bounden duty,” a steadfast sentinel nestled in our lexicon, casting shadows since the early 1500s. This term, owed solely to the timeworn adjective bounden (meaning being indebted), takes roots in the hearts of those who honor commitments like clockwork soldiers. The most famed ancestor of this term nestles comfortably in the pages of the iconic Book of Common Prayer: “We beseech Thee to accept this our bounden duty and service.”
Related and Similar Terms 📚
Synonyms:
- Obligated duty: A requirement imposed by law, morality, or tradition.
- Duty bound: Required to do something because of one’s sense of duty.
- Incumbent: Obligated as a responsibility or duty.
- Compulsory: Required by rule or law.
Antonyms:
- Optional: Not required, left to personal choice.
- Voluntary: Done, given, or acting of one’s own free will.
Humor-Filled Quotes and Proverbs 😊
- “A ‘bounden duty’ holds your heart tied tighter than shoelaces glued by a determined toddler.”
- “Duty makes us do the pleasant; Bounden duty makes us wrap it in a Christmas bow of obligation.”
Suggestions for Further Reading
Literature:
- 📖 Great Expectations by Charles Dickens touches on the complexities of small duties growing big demands.
- 📜 Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, where duty dances with love in a grand ballroom of manners.
Movies:
- 🎬 Saving Private Ryan - a motion picture emboldened by duty and obligation beyond mere expectation.
- 🎥 A Few Good Men - revolving around soldiers bound by duty and the consequences of their actions.
Songs:
- 🎶 You’ve Got a Friend by Carole King - a melody rendering friendship as a bounden duty where lending a hand seems boundlessly accepted.
- 🎵 Stand By Me by Ben E. King – carries the spirit of being bounden to support our loved ones.
Quizzes 🍀
### Which of these phrases is essentially synonymous with "bounden duty"?
- [x] Incumbent responsibility
- [ ] Floating responsibility
- [ ] Optional obligation
- [ ] Voluntary task
> **Explanation:** "Incumbent responsibility" carries a similar weight of duty and obligation as "bounden duty."
### Identify the phrase that fits: 'Duty bound and down to ______.'
- [ ] dine
- [ ] deride
- [ ] please
- [x] perform
> **Explanation:** "Duty bound and down to perform" reflects one's thorough sense of obligation similar to "bounden duty."
### True or False: The term 'bounden' is still widely used today outside of the phrase 'bounden duty.'
- [ ] True
- [x] False
> **Explanation:** 'Bounden' has largely fallen out of use, surviving predominantly within the phrase 'bounden duty.'
Farewell Thought 💭
Clichés, as timeless beads of linguistic history, tether us to our heritage bit by bit. May we always carry forth our bounden duty to preserve and enrich our vernacular.
Until next time, stay wordy and cherish the charm of every cliché horizon!
Onward,
W. T. Wittywords
Published: October 10, 2023
