do

play

verb \ ˈdü \

Definition of do

did play \ˈdid, dəd\; done play \ˈdən\; doing play \ˈdü-iŋ\; does play \ˈdəz\

transitive verb

1 :to bring to pass :carry out

do another's wishes

it is my earnest desire to know the will of Providence … and if I can learn what it is I will do it
—Abraham Lincoln

2 :put —used chiefly in do to death

had been hounded down and done to death as heretics
—Stringfellow Barr

3 a :perform, execute

do some work

did his duty

b :commit

crimes done deliberately

4 a :bring about, effect

trying to do good

do violence

b :to give freely :pay

do honor to her memory

5 :to bring to an end :finish —used in the past participle

the job is finally done

6 :to put forth :exert

did her best to win the race

7 a :to wear out especially by physical exertion :exhaust

at the end of the race they were pretty well done

b :to attack physically :beat; also :kill

8 :to bring into existence :produce

do a biography on the general

has done some beautiful landscapes

9 —used as a substitute verb especially to avoid repetition

if you must make such a racket, do it somewhere else

10 a :to play the role or character of

He did Hamlet on Broadway.

b :mimic; also :to behave like

do a Houdini and disappear

c :to perform in or serve as producer of

do a play

11 :to treat unfairly; especially :cheat

did him out of his inheritance

12 :to treat or deal with in any way typically with the sense of preparation or with that of care or attention:

a (1) :to put in order :clean

was doing the kitchen

(2) :wash

did the dishes after supper

b :to prepare for use or consumption; especially :cook

like my steak done rare

c :set, arrange

had her hair done

d :to apply cosmetics to

wanted to do her face before the party

e :decorate, furnish

did the living room in Early American

do over the kitchen

13 :to be engaged in the study or practice of

do science

; especially :to work at as a vocation

what to do after college

14 a :to pass over :traverse

did 20 miles yesterday

b :to travel at a speed of

doing 55 on the turnpike

15 :tour

doing 12 countries in 30 days

16 a :to spend (time) in prison

has been doing time in a federal penitentiary

b :to serve out (a period of imprisonment)

did ten years for armed robbery

17 :to serve the needs of :suit, suffice

worms will do us for bait

18 :to approve especially by custom, opinion, or propriety

you oughtn't to say a thing like that … it's not done
—Dorothy Sayers

19 :to treat with respect to physical comforts

did themselves well

20 :use 3

doesn't do drugs

21 :to have sexual intercourse with

I'd do him.

22 :to partake of

Let's do lunch.

intransitive verb

1 :act, behave

do as I say

2 a :get along, fare

do well in school

b :to carry on business or affairs :manage

we can do without your help

3 :to take place :happen

what's doing across the street

4 :to come to or make an end :finish —used in the past participle

he had done with speech for that evening and gave us no reply
—Arnold Bennett

5 :to be active or busy

let us then be up and doing
—H. W. Longfellow

6 :to be adequate or sufficient :serve

half of that will do

7 :to be fitting :conform to custom or propriety

won't do to be late

8 —used as a substitute verb to avoid repetition

wanted to run and play as children do

—used especially in British English following a modal auxiliary or perfective have

a great many people had died, or would do
—Bruce Chatwin

9 —used in the imperative after an imperative to add emphasis

be quiet do

auxiliary verb

1 a —used with the infinitive without to to form present and past tenses in legal and parliamentary language

do hereby bequeath

and in poetry

give what she did crave
—Shakespeare

b —used with the infinitive without to to form present and past tenses in declarative sentences with inverted word order

fervently do we pray
—Abraham Lincoln

, in interrogative sentences

did you hear that?

, and in negative sentences

we don't know

don't go

2 —used with the infinitive without to to form present and past tenses expressing emphasis

I do say

do be careful

—

doable

play \ˈdü-ə-bəl\ adjective

— do a number on

:to defeat or confound thoroughly especially by indirect or deceptive means

The scandal did a number on his career.

— do away with

1 :to put an end to :abolish

chose to do away with a number of positions

doing away with formalities

2 :to put to death :kill

— do by

:to deal with :treat

They did pretty well by me when I retired.

— do for

chiefly British

1 :to attend to the wants and needs of :take care of

2 :to bring about the death or ruin of

He will be done for.

— do it

:to have sexual intercourse

— do justice

1 a :to act justly

b :to treat fairly or adequately

The portrait doesn't do justice to her beauty.

c :to show due appreciation for

2 :to acquit in a way worthy of one's abilities

— do proud

:to give cause for pride or gratification

she did herself proud

— do the trick

:to produce a desired result

— do with

:to make good use of :benefit by

could do with a cup of coffee

— to do

:necessary to be done

I've done my best and all's to do again
—A. E. Housman

See do defined for kids

Examples of do in a Sentence

We should do something special to celebrate your birthday.
This crime was done deliberately.
I have to do some chores this afternoon.
Tell me what to do and I'll do it.
I'm obliged to do my duty.
He does his work without complaining.
He did a lot for us.
What have I done to you to make you so angry?
“What are you doing this weekend?” “I'm just relaxing at home.”
What is the stock market doing now: rising or falling?

Origin and Etymology of do

Middle English don, from Old English dōn; akin to Old High German tuon to do, Latin -dere to put, facere to make, do, Greek tithenai to place, set

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

do Synonyms

Synonyms

befit, beseem [archaic], fit [archaic], go, serve, suit, fill the bill (or fit the bill)

Antonyms

blemish, deface, disfigure, mar, scar, spoil

Related Words

satisfy, suffice; function, work

Near Antonyms

fail; skimp, slight, slur

do

play

noun \ ˈdü \

Definition of do

plural dos or do's play \ˈdüz\

1 chiefly dialectal :fuss, ado

2 archaic :deed, duty

3 a :a festive get-together :affair, party

an annual do

b chiefly British :battle

4 :a command or entreaty to do something

a list of dos and don'ts

5 British :cheat, swindle

6 :hairdo

The wind messed up his do.

Origin and Etymology of do

see ¹do

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1599

See Words from the same year

do

play

noun \ ˈdō \

Definition of do

music :the first tone of the major scale in solfège

Origin and Etymology of do

Italian

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1754

See Words from the same year

do

abbreviation

Definition of do

1 ditto

2 double occupancy

DO

abbreviation

Definition of DO

1 defense order

2 doctor of osteopathic medcine; doctor of osteopathy

Other Education Terms

baccalaureate, colloquium, corequisite, dissertation, monograph, pedant, practicum, survey course, thesis

DO Defined for Kids

do

play

verb \ dü \

Definition of do for Students

did \did\; done \ˈdən\; doing \ˈdü-iŋ\; does \ˈdəz\

1 :to cause (as an act or action) to happen :perform

Tell me what to do.

Do me a favor.

2 :²act 2, behave

Do as I say, not as I do.

3 :to make progress :succeed

He is doing well in school.

4 :to finish working on —used in the past participle

My project is almost done.

5 :to put forth :exert

Just do your best.

6 :to work on, prepare, produce, or put in order

Do your homework.

This artist does beautiful landscapes.

7 :to work at as a paying job

What does she do for a living?

8 :to serve the purpose :suit

This will do very well.

9 :to have an effect

A vacation would do you some good.

10 :to travel at a speed of

doing 50 miles per hour

11 —used as a helping verb (1) before the subject in a question

Do you work?

, (2) in a negative statement

I do not know.

, (3) for emphasis

I think you do know.

, and (4) as a substitute for a predicate that has already been stated

You work harder than I do.

— do away with

1 :to get rid of

2 :¹kill 1

do

play

noun \ ˈdō \

Definition of do for Students

:the first note of the musical scale

Medical Dictionary

DO

abbreviation

medical Definition of DO

1 doctor of optometry

2 doctor of osteopathic medicine; doctor of osteopathy

Law Dictionary

do

verb

legal Definition of do

did; done; doing; does

transitive verb

1 :perform, execute

2 :commit

did this act of cruelty

verbal auxiliary

—used with the infinitive without to to form present and past tenses in legal and parliamentary language

do hereby bequeath

— do business

:to be engaged in business activities (as soliciting sales); specifically :to engage in activities sufficient to subject a foreign company to the personal jurisdiction of a state