Wednesday, September 14, 2005

Words Looked Up - #4 & #5

re-spon-si-bi-li-ty: n., pl. -ties. 1. The quality, state, or fact of being responsible. 2. Something for which one is accountable : DUTY.

re-spon-si-ble: adj. [Obs. Fr., corresponding to Lat. respondere, to respond.] 1. Being legally or ethically accountable for the welfare or care of another. 2. Involving personal accountability or ability to act free from guidance or higher authority. 3. Being a source or cause. 4. Capable of making moral or rational decisions on one's own, thereby being answerable for one's behavior. 5. Capable of being trusted or depended on : RELIABLE. 6. Based on or marked by good judgment. 7. Having the means to pay debts or meet obligations. 8. Required to render account : ANSWERABLE. The cabinet is responsible to the President. > -re-spon'si-ble-ness n. -re-spon'si-bly adv.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

As in, the responsibility of the Mayor of New Orleans was to implement the disaster plan his administration had signed off on? As in, the Governor of Louisiana had a responsibility to the people of her state -- a responsibility that two fine Republican governors, Barbour of Mississippi and Riley of Alabama, didn't seem to have a problem embracing at a time of crisis.

That kind of responsbility?