Word Study
responsible
CIDE DICTIONARY
responsible, a. [Cf. F. responsable. See Respond.].
- Liable to respond; likely to be called upon to answer; accountable; answerable; amenable; as, a guardian is responsible to the court for his conduct in the office. [1913 Webster]
- Able to respond or answer for one's conduct and obligations; trustworthy, financially or otherwise; as, to have a responsible man for surety. [1913 Webster]
- Involving responsibility; involving a degree of accountability on the part of the person concerned; as, a responsible office. [1913 Webster]
Syn. -- Accountable; answerable; amenable.
OXFORD DICTIONARY
responsible, adj.
1 (often foll. by to, for) liable to be called to account (to a person or for a thing).
2 morally accountable for one's actions; capable of rational conduct.
3 of good credit, position, or repute; respectable; evidently trustworthy.
4 (often foll. by for) being the primary cause (a short circuit was responsible for the power failure).
5 (of a ruler or government) not autocratic.
6 involving responsibility (a responsible job).
1 (often foll. by to, for) liable to be called to account (to a person or for a thing).
2 morally accountable for one's actions; capable of rational conduct.
3 of good credit, position, or repute; respectable; evidently trustworthy.
4 (often foll. by for) being the primary cause (a short circuit was responsible for the power failure).
5 (of a ruler or government) not autocratic.
6 involving responsibility (a responsible job).
Derivative
responsibleness n. responsibly adv.
Etymology
obs. F f. L respondere: see RESPOND
THESAURUS
responsible
accountable, administrative, amenable, answerable, answerable for, apt to, at fault, authoritative, capable of, chargeable, chief, creditable, culpable, decision-making, dependable, dependent on, directorial, ethical, executive, exposed, exposed to, faithworthy, guilty, honest, important, in danger of, incident to, incorruptible, inviolable, leading, liable, liable to, likely to, managerial, naked to, obligated, obliged to, open, open to, pledged, principal, prone to, proven, ready for, reliable, responsible for, stable, standing to, straight, subject, subject to, sure, susceptive to, tested, to be trusted, to blame, top, tried, tried and true, true, trustable, trustworthy, trusty, unfalse, unperfidious, untreacherous, within range ofROGET THESAURUS
responsible
Duty
N duty, what ought to be done, moral obligation, accountableness, liability, onus, responsibility, bounden duty, imperative duty, call, call of duty, accountability, allegiance, fealty, tie engagement, part, function, calling, morality, morals, decalogue, case of conscience, conscientiousness, conscience, inward monitor, still small voice within, sense of duty, tender conscience, superego, the hell within, dueness, propriety, fitness, seemliness, amenability, decorum, to prepon, the thing, the proper thing, the right thing to do, the proper thing to do, ethics, ethology, deontology, aretology, moral philosophy, ethical philosophy, casuistry, polity, observance, fulfillment, discharge, performance, acquittal, satisfaction, redemption, good behavior, obligatory, binding, imperative, peremptory, stringent, behooving, incumbent on, chargeable on, under obligation, obliged by, bound by, tied by, saddled with, due to, beholden to, bound to, indebted to, tied down, compromised, in duty bound, amenable, liable, accountable, responsible, answerable, right, meet, moral, ethical, casuistical, conscientious, ethological, with a safe conscience, as in duty, bound, on one's own responsibility, at one's own risk, suo periculo, in foro conscientiae, quamdiu se bene gesserit, dura lex sed lex, dulce et decorum est pro patria mori, honos habet onus, leve fit quod bene fertur onus, loyaute m'oblige, simple duty bath no place for fear, stern daughter of the voice of God, there is a higher law than the Constitution.For further exploring for "responsible" in Webster Dictionary Online