Line of Duty
Work-required action
Line of duty refers to the performance of one's official responsibilities, especially in military, police, or emergency services.
A death or injury in the line of duty occurs while carrying out professional obligations, not during personal time.
The phrase carries weight in benefits determinations and honors: killed in the line of duty, wounded in the line of duty.
It distinguishes occupational hazards from ordinary risks.
- serviceAid or maintenance
- law enforcementUpholding legal codes
- policeCivil law enforcement
- officerAuthority figure in uniform
- sacrificeGiving up something precious
ultimate sacrifice · fallen · honor · purple heart · badge · patrol · sworn · uniform · protect · serve · first responder · heroism · killed · wounded · combat · soldier · firefighter · military
Line of Dutypersonal choice
self-interest · off duty · whim · voluntary action · of one's own accord
Line of Dutyoff duty
Not at work
off the clock · personal time · private life · civilian life · leisure time
Line of Dutygoing rogue
Acting independently, against authority
unauthorized action · vigilante justice · insubordination · dereliction of duty · conduct unbecoming
line, lines, lined, lining, liner, liners, lineal, linear, lineage