do

do1 [ du ] (3rd person singular does [ weak dəz, strong dʌz ] ; past tense did [ dıd ] ; past participle done [ dʌn ] ) verb ***

Do can be used in the following ways:

as an auxiliary verb, especially for forming questions and negatives in the simple present or simple past tense (followed by an infinitive without to ):

Did you enjoy the party?

She does not understand. In conversation and informal written English the following negative short forms of the auxiliary verb are used: doesn't, don't, and didn't.

as an intransitive verb that replaces or refers to an ordinary verb in the simple present or simple past tense that was in a previous clause or sentence:

You know as much as I do (=as much as I know).

as an auxiliary verb to form a tag question in the simple present or past tense (when there is no auxiliary or modal verb in the main clause):

You teach English, don't you? (where do is used in the main clause):

They don't believe us, do they?

He did well, didn't he?

as an ordinary transitive verb:

He always did his duty.

as an ordinary intransitive verb:

I need something sharp. That screwdriver will do.

When do is an ordinary transitive or intransitive verb, questions and negatives are formed by using the auxiliary verb do with it:

What do you do in your spare time?

He didn't do his homework.

1. ) used for forming a question or negative auxiliary verb used before another verb for forming a question or a negative:

Do you drive?

We do not need another cat!

What did the doctor say?

Didn't they tell you I was coming?

Max doesn't live here any more.

Don't believe what he tells you.

a ) used in a QUESTION TAG at the end of a sentence when you are asking someone to agree with you, or when you are asking for information:

Bill played well, didn't he?

You didn't see my keys lying around anywhere, did you?

2. ) used for referring back to a previous verb intransitive used instead of repeating the same verb that was used earlier in the sentence, or in a previous sentence:

You promised to come with me. No I didn't.

She doesn't travel around as much as I do.

I like Chinese food, but George doesn't.

I enjoyed our trip to New Orleans. So did I.

3. ) used for emphasis auxiliary verb

a ) used for emphasizing the meaning of a positive statement:

Your garden does look nice.

My memory isn't very good, but I do remember what she was wearing.

b ) used when you are politely trying to persuade someone to do something:

Do stay and have dinner with us.

Do be quiet!

4. ) perform an action, activity, or job transitive

a ) to perform an action:

I hope you're sorry for what you've done.

He shouldn't have thrown the bottle it was a stupid thing to do.

do something for someone: Is there anything I can do for you?

b ) to take part in an activity:

I do yoga twice a week.

Are you doing anything this weekend?

While I'm in Norway, I want to do some skiing.

nothing to do: There's nothing to do around here it's really boring.

c ) INFORMAL to take part in an activity with others:

do lunch/a movie/dinner etc.: Call me and we'll do lunch.

d ) to perform or complete a job or a piece of work:

He's just doing a few jobs around the house.

Have you done your math assignment yet?

He did his Ph.D. at Harvard.

do the washing/ironing/cooking etc.: I do the cooking, and Peggy washes the dishes.

do business: The Russians were not ready to do business with American companies.

e ) to perform a play, song, dance, etc.:

To start with, we'd like to do a song from our first album.

f ) to take action in order to deal with a situation:

Don't just stand there, do something!

do something about something: What is the government going to do about the growing crisis in the healthcare system?

g ) what someone does (for a living) someone's job or profession:

I'm not sure what she does. I think she works in a bank.

What did your Dad do for a living? He was a teacher.

5. ) make things clean or neat transitive

a ) INFORMAL to clean something, or to make a place neat:

A man comes in once a week to do the yard.

I want to do the living room and the bedrooms before our guests arrive.

do the dishes/windows/floors etc.: Here, let me help you do the dishes.

b ) do your hair/nails etc. to arrange your hair/paint your FINGERNAILS etc.:

She was sitting in front of the mirror doing her hair.

6. ) used for talking about health or success intransitive

a ) always progressive used for talking about someone's health or their general situation:

Sam! I haven't seen you in a while how are you doing?

be doing well/fine etc.: Grandpa's not doing too well we had to take him to the hospital last night.

b ) used for talking about how someone is progressing or how successful they are:

How's Monica doing? Has she graduated yet?

do well/badly/all right etc.: He did well in the test.

I'm afraid the business is doing pretty badly profits are way down.

7. ) have an effect transitive to have a good or harmful effect:

It's amazing what a little encouragement can do.

Frost can do a lot of damage.

do something to someone/something: Can't you see what all this stress and uncertainty is doing to our family?

do good/harm: The doctor gave him some special medicine, but it didn't do a lot of good.

How much harm did the oil crisis do to our economy?

do someone/something good/harm: The fresh air will do you good.

8. ) spend time transitive INFORMAL to spend an amount of time doing something:

I did two years in the navy.

9. ) make something transitive

a ) to draw or paint a picture or decoration:

All these paintings of Venice were done by Canaletto.

Who did the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel?

b ) to prepare a particular kind of food:

I'm doing chicken for dinner tonight.

10. ) act like someone transitive INFORMAL to copy someone's voice, manner, or way of moving, in order to entertain people: IMPERSONATE:

You should see him do Elvis Presley.

11. ) move a particular distance or at a particular speed transitive

1

a ) used for saying how far someone or something succeeds in traveling:

We did 32 miles that day, marching over rough mountain roads.

1

b ) used for saying what speed someone or something achieves:

The Toyota MR 2 will do 130 mph.

12. ) change in a particular way intransitive INFORMAL used for talking about how something may change:

I wonder what the weather's going to do.

It all depends on what interest rates do over the next twelve months.

13. ) use drugs transitive INFORMAL to use illegal drugs:

He doesn't drink or do drugs, but he smokes.

14. ) visit a place transitive INFORMAL to visit a famous place as a tourist:

After we'd done the Pyramids we went back to the Cairo Museum.

15. ) provide or sell transitive to provide or sell a particular service or product:

We do sandwiches and other snacks in the bar.

Southwest is doing a really cheap fare to Chicago.

16. ) have sex transitive INFORMAL to have sex with someone

do as you're told SPOKEN

used for telling a child to obey you

do your best/utmost

to try as hard as you can:

I'm not sure if I can win this race, but I'll do my best.

do it INFORMAL

to have sex. This phrase is used when you want to avoid saying this directly:

She says they spent the night together but they didn't actually do it.

that does it SPOKEN

used for saying that someone or something that has been annoying you has finally made you so angry that you will do something:

That does it! I'm calling the police.

that's done it BRITISH SPOKEN

used when something goes wrong for saying that you are going to be in trouble:

Well, that's done it. There's no way we can stop him finding out now.

that will do SPOKEN

used for telling someone, especially a child, to stop talking or behaving badly

what is someone/something doing...? SPOKEN

used for asking why someone or something is in a particular place because you think they should not be there:

That's my diary, but what's it doing on your desk?

What are you doing wandering around the school at this time of night?

what's doing? MAINLY BRITISH SPOKEN

used for asking what events are taking place:

So what's doing back in the village these days?

will do

1. ) used for saying that something is enough or is appropriate for a particular purpose:

If you haven't got a proper bandage, any strip of clean cotton or linen will do.

I suppose we ought to tip the waiter, but I've only got 20 francs left. That'll do.

will do as/for (=be suitable to be used as something): An empty box will do for a table.

will do someone (=will be good enough for someone): All I've got to offer you is instant coffee. That'll do me just fine.

2. ) SPOKEN used for telling someone that you will do what they have asked:

Could you read through this report for me? Will do.

won't do/wouldn't do SPOKEN

used for saying that a particular situation or way of behaving is not sensible or appropriate:

It wouldn't do for you to be seen with someone like Joe.

would do well to do something

used for advising that someone should do something:

You're still only a junior employee in this business, and you'd do well to remember that.

,do a`way with phrasal verb transitive

1. ) do away with something to get rid of something:

A lot of the restrictions on imports have been done away with.

2. ) do away with someone INFORMAL to murder someone:

There were rumors that Doug had done away with his wife.

`do for phrasal verb transitive INFORMAL

do something for someone to make someone feel interested or excited:

Ken wants to buy a new Porsche, but sports cars don't do anything for me.

be done for

1. ) INFORMAL to be likely to be punished, hurt, or killed:

If the guards see us, we're done for.

2. ) INFORMAL if something is done for, it is in such bad condition or so badly damaged that it cannot be used:

We're going to have to buy a new photocopier this one's done for.

3. ) to be so tired that you cannot continue:

After this next batch I'm afraid I'll be done for.

,do `in phrasal verb transitive

1. ) usually passive SPOKEN to make someone feel very tired: EXHAUST:

It was climbing that last hill that really did them in.

I'm completely done in after all that running around.

2. ) INFORMAL to murder someone:

I figure someone did her in to get her money.

,do `out of phrasal verb transitive INFORMAL

do someone out of something to stop someone from getting or having something that they should have, especially in a way that is unfair or dishonest

,do `over phrasal verb transitive INFORMAL

1. ) do something over AMERICAN to do something again from the beginning, especially because you did it badly the first time:

OK, we'll do it over, but try to sing the right words this time.

2. ) to decorate a building or room again in a completely different way:

Can we afford to have the apartment done over?

3. ) BRITISH to attack someone and hit and kick them

`do to phrasal verb transitive

1. ) do something to something to make changes in something:

What have you done to your hair?

They did something to the central heating and now it doesn't work.

2. ) do something to someone to treat someone in a way that harms them:

I'll never forgive him for what he did to me.

They did terrible things to some of the prisoners.

3. ) do something to someone to affect someone in a way that makes them happy, sad, or excited:

When I hear that song, it always does something to me.

,do `up phrasal verb

1. ) transitive usually passive to tie or arrange your hair in a particular way:

Her shiny dark hair was done up in a ponytail.

2. ) transitive usually passive to dress someone in special clothes or put MAKE-UP on them:

She had spent hours doing herself up for the party.

(all) done up: Angie was done up in a silky black dress and fishnet stockings.

3. ) transitive MAINLY BRITISH to fasten something:

Do up your shoelaces.

You don't need to do up the top button.

a ) intransitive if clothes do up in a particular way, they fasten in that way:

The dress does up in the back.

4. ) transitive BRITISH to FIX UP an old building, car, boat, etc.:

We spent our weekends doing up vintage cars.

5. ) transitive BRITISH to wrap something in paper or cloth in an attractive way:

He held a small package done up in colored paper and ribbon.

`do with phrasal verb transitive

could do with something SPOKEN

used for saying that you want or need something:

I could do with a cup of coffee right now.

I'm sure James could do with some help.

have nothing to do with someone

1. ) used for saying that someone or something is not connected with or involved in a particular fact or situation:

I'm quite sure Nancy's resignation has nothing to do with her health.

Reynolds has always claimed that he had nothing to do with her disappearance.

2. ) used for saying that something is personal and private and there is no reason for anyone else to know about it:

What I do on my own time has nothing to do with you.

have (something/anything) to do with

to be connected with someone or something:

Most of the articles have to do with America's role in the world since the end of the Cold War.

Did the dispute have anything to do with safety regulations?

what does something have to do with...?

used for asking, often in an angry way, how two people or things are connected or why someone is interested in something:

What do her personal problems have to do with my vacation plans?

As a matter of fact I do have a boyfriend, but what does that have to do with you?

what someone does with something

1. ) used for asking what arrangements someone makes for something:

What do you usually do with the cat when you're away?

2. ) used for asking where someone puts something:

What have you done with my calculator? I put it on your desk.

3. ) used for asking how someone uses something:

What am I going to do with all this food if no one turns up?

what someone does with themselves

used for asking how someone spends their time:

He won't know what to do with himself while Julie is gone.

What are you going to do with yourself during summer vacation?

what is someone doing with something? SPOKEN

used for asking why someone has something:

What are you doing with my CD player? I never said you could borrow it.

what someone is going to do with someone SPOKEN

used for asking how you are going to make someone behave better:

I don't know what we're going to do with you, Tony. You're always in trouble.

,do with`out phrasal verb intransitive or transitive

do without someone/something to succeed in living or working without someone or something:

There's no milk for the cereal, so you'll just have to do without.

Now that they have a regular income, they should be able to do without any help from us.

You'll be gone for six days? I think we can do without you for that long.

can/could do without something SPOKEN

used for saying that something is annoying you and causing problems for you:

I could do without all these interruptions.

do

do 2 [ du ] noun count INFORMAL

1. ) AMERICAN a hairstyle:

Here comes Louise and she's sporting a new do.

2. ) MAINLY BRITISH a social event such as a party:

We're having a big do to celebrate Pam's birthday.

do's and don'ts

instructions and warnings about what you should and should not do in a particular situation:

Here is a list of do's and don'ts for anyone planning to start a business.

do

do 3 [ dou ] noun count

the first or eighth note in the SOL-FA musical SCALE