I Somebody/Something Duː Evening Mentioned Work Time Perform

• what are you doing this evening?
• we will do what we can to help.
• are you doing anything tomorrow evening?
• the company ought to do something about the poor service.

do1

Verb Forms

1. used to refer to actions that you do not mention by name or do not know about
• What are you doing this evening?
• We will do what we can to help.
• Are you doing anything tomorrow evening?
• The company ought to do something about the poor service.
• What have you done to your hair?
• There's nothing to do (= no means of passing the time in an enjoyable way) in this place.
• There's nothing we can do about it (= we can't change the situation).
• What can I do for you (= how can I help)?
2. to act or behave in the way mentioned
• Do as you're told!
• They are free to do as they please.
• You would do well to (= I advise you to) consider all the options before buying.

Extra Examples

• Just do what they tell you to do.
• Do whatever you like.
3. used to ask or talk about the success or progress of somebody/something
• How is the business doing?
• She did well out of (= made a big profit from) the deal.
• He's doing very well at school (= his work is good).
• Both mother and baby are doing well (= after the birth of the baby).
• How are you doing (= how are you)?
4. to work at or perform an activity or a task
• I'm doing some research on the subject.
• I have a number of things to do today.
• I do aerobics once a week.
• Let's do (= meet for) lunch.
• Sorry. I don't do funny (= I can't be funny).
5. to perform the activity or task mentioned
• I like listening to the radio when I'm doing the ironing.
• You could help me by doing the dishes.
• She did a lot of acting when she was at college.
6. used with nouns to talk about tasks such as cleaning, washing, arranging, etc.
• to do (= wash) the dishes
• to do (= arrange) the flowers
• I like the way you've done your hair.
7. to work at something as a job
• What do you do (= what is your job)?
• What does she want to do when she leaves school?
• What did she do for a living?
• What's Tom doing these days?
8. to learn or study something
• I'm doing physics, biology and chemistry.
• Have you done any (= studied anything by) Keats?
9. to find the answer to something; to solve something
• I can't do this sum.
• Are you good at doing crosswords?
10. to produce, make or provide something
• to do a drawing/painting/sketch
• Does this pub do lunches?
• Who's doing the food for the wedding reception?
• Many hotels don't do single rooms at all.
• I'll do a copy for you.
• I'll do you a copy.

Extra Examples

• He did a beautiful drawing of a house.
• Who's doing the flowers for the wedding?
11. to be suitable or be enough for somebody/something
• ‘Can you lend me some money?’ ‘Sure—will $20 do?’
• These shoes won't do for the party.
• The box will do fine as a table.
• This room will do me nicely, thank you (= it has everything I need).
12. to perform or produce a play, an opera, etc.
• The local dramatic society is doing ‘Hamlet’ next month.
13. to copy somebody’s behaviour or the way somebody speaks, sings, etc., especially in order to make people laugh
• He does a great Elvis Presley.
• Can you do a Welsh accent?
14. to finish something
• Sit there and wait till I'm done.
• I've done talking—let's get started.
• Did you get your article done in time?
15. to travel a particular distance
• How many miles did you do during your tour?
• My car does 40 miles to the gallon (= uses one gallon of petrol to travel 40 miles).
16. to complete a journey
• We did the round trip in two hours.
17. to travel at or reach a particular speed
• The car was doing 90 miles an hour.
18. to visit a place as a tourist
• We did Tokyo in three days.
19. to spend a period of time doing something
• She did a year at college, but then dropped out.
• He did six years (= in prison) for armed robbery.
20. to deal with or attend to somebody/something
• The hairdresser said she could do me (= cut my hair) at three.
21. to cook something
• How would you like your steak done?
22. to cheat somebody
• This isn't a genuine antique—you've been done.
23. to punish somebody
• They did him for tax evasion.
• She got done for speeding.
24. to steal from a place
• The gang did a warehouse and a supermarket.
25. to take an illegal drug
• He doesn't smoke, drink or do drugs.
26. to have sex with somebody
27. to be something that somebody does not need to know about or should not get involved in
• It's my decision—it's nothing to do with you.
• ‘How much do you earn?’ ‘What's it got to do with you?’
• We don't have very much to do with our neighbours (= we do not speak to them very often).
• I'd have nothing to do with him, if I were you.
28. to be about or connected with somebody/something
• ‘What do you want to see me about?’ ‘It's to do with that letter you sent me.’
• Her job has something to do with computers.
• Hard work has a lot to do with (= is an important reason for) her success.
29. to treat somebody in a way that is right, good, etc.
• If we cannot keep the streets safe, then we are not doing right by the people of this country.
• We need to do better by those suffering from mental illness.
• We have done badly by the unemployed.
30. used to say that a situation is not acceptable and should be changed or improved
• This is the third time you've been late this week; it simply won't do.
31. used to say that something does not make somebody look attractive
• That hairstyle doesn't do anything for her.
32. used to refuse a request
• ‘Can you lend me ten dollars?’ ‘Nothing doing!’
33. used to show that you intend to stop somebody from doing something that they were going to do
• Sharon went to get into the taxi. ‘Oh no you don't,’ said Steve.
34. used to show that you will not accept something any longer
• That does it, I'm off. I'm not having you swear at me like that.
35. used to say that an accident, a mistake, etc. has had a very bad effect on something
• That's done it. You've completely broken it this time.
36. used to order somebody to stop doing or saying something
• That'll do, children—you're getting far too noisy.
37. used to ask how somebody manages to obtain the thing mentioned
• What do you do for entertainment out here?
38. used to ask why somebody/something is in the place mentioned
• What are these shoes doing on my desk?

Word Origin

• Old English dōn, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch doen and German tun, from an Indo-European root shared by Greek tithēmi ‘I place’ and Latin facere ‘make, do’.