Responsibility

Definition

Responsibility is the state of being Responsible (see below)

Adjective

• 1. Correspondent or answering to something. Obs.

1599 B. JONSON Ev. Man out of Hum. II. i, The admiration of your Forme; to which (if the bounties of your minde be any way responsible) [etc.].

1629 MAXWELL tr. Herodian (1635) 140 If you expect a Doome, or Death, responsible to your blacke deeds, and detestable Villanies; the World cannot afford it.

1698 FRYER Acc. E. India & P. 14 The Mouth large, but not responsible to so large a Body.

• 2. Capable of being answered. Obs. rare1.

1647 LILLY Chr. Astrol. lviii. 383 This is a difficult Question, and yet by Astrologie responsible.

• 3. a. Answerable, accountable (to another for something); liable to be called to account.

1643 PRYNNE Sov. Power Parl. III. App. 12 To hold this Popish erronious opinion, that they are in no case responsible to their whole Kingdomes or Parliaments for their grossest exorbitances.

1662 J. DAVIES tr. Olearius' Voy. Ambass. 405 Being responsible to the King for what might happen to us.

1720 WATERLAND Doctr. Trin. v. Wks.

1823 V. 115 Willing or not willing, every man is responsible, at last, for the doctrines he teaches. 1790 BURKE Fr. Rev. 42 Our constitution has made no sort of provision towards rendering him, as a servant, in any degree responsible.

1850 MCCOSH Div. Govt. III. i. (1874) 278 Man is a free agent and morally responsible to his Governor. 1868 FREEMAN Norm. Conq. (1877) II. 321 The country was left..without any single responsible chief.

b. Morally accountable for one's actions; capable of rational conduct.

1836 J. GILBERT Chr. Atonem. ii. (1852) 50 The great God has treated us as responsible beings.

1858 FROUDE Hist. Eng. IV. xviii. 35 James arrived at an age when he could be treated as responsible.

1875 BAIN Mental & Mor. Sci. 396 In criminal procedure, a man is accounted responsible if motives still continue to have power over him.

c. responsible government: (see quot. 1910); also in extended use (esp. under influence of sense 5).

1839 LD. DURHAM Rep. Affairs Brit. N. Amer. 142 By creating high prizes in a general and responsible Government, we shall immediately afford the means of pacifying the turbulent ambitions, and of employing in worthy and noble occupations the talents which now are only exerted to foment disorder.

1865 EARL RUSSELL Essay on Hist. Eng. Govt. & Constitution p. lxviii, Others said, ‘the grant of what is called “responsible government” [in Canada] is a grant of independence. It must be resisted.’

1906 W. S. CHURCHILL in R. S. Churchill Winston S. Churchill (1969) II. Compan. I. 506 We are not, of course, confined to any particular form of Responsible Government.

1910 Colonial Office List V. i. 633 The colonies possessing responsible government, in which the Crown has only reserved the power of disallowing legislation and the Secretary of State for the Colonies has no control over any public officer except the Governor. ::1930 G. B. SHAW Apple Cart I. 33 The people have found out long ago that democracy is humbug, and that instead of establishing responsible government it has abolished it. :1957 Encycl. Brit. XII. 174/2 The device known as dyarchy, or double government,..was intended to train Indians for responsible government.

• 4. U.S. Answerable to a charge.

1650 in T. Hutchinson Hist. Mass. (1765) 452 You are required to attach the goods or lands of William Stevens to the value of one hundred pounds, so as to bind the same to be responsible at the next court at Boston.

• 5. a. Capable of fulfilling an obligation or trust; reliable, trustworthy; of good credit and repute. Also in Comb.

1691 LOCKE Consid. Money Wks.

1714 II. 12 Not knowing that the Bill or Bond is true or legal, or that the Man bound to me is honest or responsible.

1817 JANE AUSTEN Persuasion iii, Could not be a better time, Sir Walter, for having a choice of tenants, very responsible tenants.

1853 C. BRONTË Villette xiv, There was about him a manly responsible look, that redeemed his youth.

1884 J. QUINCY Figures of Past 345 The collection and delivery of parcels..might be undertaken by one responsible person. 1896 H. JOHNSTON Dr. Congalton's Legacy ix. 103 Responsible land-owners, bonnet-lairds, farmers, otherwise a nondescript crowd.

Comb. 1852 DICKENS Bleak Ho. xxviii, A responsible-looking gentleman dressed in black.

1891 MOSTYN Curatica 57 When the meeting was dissolved, I joined myself to a responsible-looking brother, and..begged an explanation.

1960 Times 7 Mar. 13/5 Are publishers responsible-minded parents?

b. Of respectable appearance.

1780 S. G. PRATT Emma Corbett (ed. 4) I. 98 A new wig..to be made so as to resemble a responsible head of hair.

1852 DICKENS Bleak Ho. lviii, His linen is arranged to a nicety, and he is wrapped in a responsible dressing-gown.

• 6. Involving responsibility or obligation.

1855 PRESCOTT Philip II, I. I. ii. 12 He selected two persons for the responsible office of superintending his education.

1880 19th Cent. Apr. 707 Native officers so appointed to high and responsible positions.

Noun

• An actor who undertakes to play any part which may be temporarily required.

1885 JEROME On the Stage 80 In the provinces, thirty shillings is a high figure for a good all-round ‘responsibles’. Ibid. 121 Hearing that one of their ‘responsibles’ had just left, I went straight to the manager,..and was accepted.

(Hence responsibleness)

1727 in BAILEY (vol. II).

1812 G. CHALMERS Dom. Econ. Gt. Brit. 138 At this crisis..every bill was suspected, as being of doubtful responsibleness.

1856 EMERSON Eng. Traits v. Ability, They have solidarity, or responsibleness, and trust in each other.