do

Do is defined as to accomplish an action.

(verb)

An example of do is to complete a homework assignment.

YourDictionary definition and usage example. Copyright © 2013 by LoveToKnow Corp.

See do in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb did, done, doing

    1. to execute; effect; perform (an act, action, etc.): do great deeds
    2. to carry out; fulfill: do what I tell you
  1. to bring to completion; finish: dinner has been done for an hour
  2. to bring about; cause; produce: it does no harm; who did this to you?
  3. to exert (efforts, etc.): do your best
  4. to have or take (a meal): let's do lunch
  5. to deal with as is required; attend to: do the ironing, do one's nails or hair
  6. to have as one's work or occupation; work at or on: what does he do for a living?
  7. to work out; solve: do a problem
  8. to produce or appear in (a play, etc.): we did Hamlet
    1. to play the role of: I did Polonius
    2. Informal to imitate, or behave characteristically as: to do a Houdini
  9. to write or publish (a book), compose (a musical score), etc.
    1. to cover (distance): to do a mile in four minutes
    2. to move along at a speed of: to do 60 miles an hour
  10. to visit as a sightseer; tour: they did England in two months
  11. to translate: to do Horace into English
  12. to give; render: to do honor to the dead
  13. to suit; be convenient to: this will do me very well
  14. Informal
    1. to prepare; cook: that restaurant does ribs really well
    2. to eat: let's do Mexican tonight
  15. Informal to cheat; swindle: you've been done
  16. Informal to serve (a jail term)
  17. Slang to take; ingest; use: we've never done drugs
  18. Slang to perform a sexual act upon; specif., to have sexual intercourse with
  19. Slang to kill

Origin: ME & OE don, akin to Ger tun, OS duan < IE base *dhē-, to put, place, set > Sans dadhāmi, Gr tithenai, to place, put, L -dere (as in condere, to set down), facere, to do, make

intransitive verb

  1. to act in a specified way; behave: he does well when treated well
  2. to be active; work: do; don't merely talk
  3. to finish: used in the perfect tense [have done with dreaming]
  4. to get along; fare: mother and child are doing well
  5. to be adequate or suitable; serve the purpose: the black dress will do
  6. to take place; go on: anything doing tonight?
  7. Chiefly Brit., Informal used as a substitute verb after a modal auxiliary or a form of have in a perfect tense: I haven't seen the film, but she may have done

auxiliary verb

  1. used to give emphasis, or as a legal convention: do stay a while, do hereby enjoin
  2. used to ask a question: did you write?
  3. used to serve as part of a negative command or statement: do not go, they do not like it
  4. used to serve as a substitute verb: love me as I do (love) you
  5. used to form inverted constructions after some adverbs: little did he realize

noun pl. do's or dos

  1. Chiefly Brit., Informal a hoax; swindle
  2. Chiefly Brit., Informal a party or social event
  3. Slang excrement; feces: dog do

noun

Music a syllable representing the first or last tone of the diatonic scale

Origin: It (< dominus, first word of a Latin hymn): used instead of earlier ut: see gamut

noun

Slang hairdo

or do

ditto

or D.O.

Doctor of Osteopathy

See do in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb did did (dĭd), done done (dŭn), do·ing, does does (dŭz)
verb, transitive
  1. a. To perform or execute: do one's assigned task; do a series of business deals.
    b. To fulfill the requirements of: did my duty at all times.
    c. To carry out; commit: a crime that had been done on purpose.
  2. a. To produce, especially by creative effort: do a play on Broadway.
    b. To play the part or role of in a creative production: did Elizabeth I in the film.
    c. To mimic: “doing the Southern voice, improvising it inventively as he goes along” (William H. Pritchard).
  3. a. To bring about; effect: Crying won't do any good now.
    b. To render; give: do equal justice to the opposing sides; do honor to one's family.
  4. To put forth; exert: Do the best you can.
  5. a. To attend to in such a way as to take care of or put in order: did the bedrooms before the guests arrived.
    b. To prepare for further use especially by washing: did the dishes.
  6. a. To set or style (the hair).
    b. To apply cosmetics to: did her face.
  7. To have as an occupation or profession: Have you decided what you will do after college?
  8. To work out by studying: do a homework assignment.
  9. Used as a substitute for an antecedent verb: He can play the piano, and I can do that, too.
  10. Informal
    a. To travel (a specified distance): do a mile in four minutes.
    b. To make a tour of; visit: [He] did 15 countries of Western Europe in only a few days” (R.W. Apple, Jr.)
  11. a. To be sufficient in meeting the needs of; serve: This room will do us very nicely.
    b. Informal To serve (a prison term): did time in jail; did five years for tax fraud.
  12. Slang To cheat; swindle: do a relative out of an inheritance.
  13. Slang To take (drugs) illegally: “If you do drugs you are going to be in continual trouble” (Jimmy Breslin).
  14. Slang To kill; murder.
  15. Vulgar Slang To have sex with; bring to orgasm.
verb, intransitive
  1. To behave or conduct oneself; act: Do as I say and you won't get into trouble.
  2. a. To get along; fare: students who do well at school.
    b. To carry on; manage: I could do without your interference.
    c. To make good use of something because of need: I could do with a hot bath.
  3. a. To serve a specified purpose: This coat will do for another season.
    b. To be proper or fitting: Such behavior just won't do.
  4. To take place; happen: What's doing in London this time of year?
  5. Used as a substitute for an antecedent verb: worked as hard as everyone else did.
  6. Used after another verb for emphasis: Run quickly, do!
verbaux.
  1. Used with the infinitive without to in questions, negative statements, and inverted phrases: Do you understand? I did not sleep well. Little did we know what was in store for us.
  2. Used as a means of emphasis: I do want to be sure.
noun pl. dos dos or do's
  1. A statement of what should be done: a list of the dos and don'ts of management.
  2. Informal An entertainment; a party: attended a big do at the embassy.
  3. A commotion.
  4. Chiefly British Slang A swindle; a cheat.
  5. Archaic Duty; deed.
  6. Slang Fecal matter; excrement.
Phrasal Verbs: do by To behave with respect to; deal with: The children have done well by their aged parents. do for To care or provide for; take care of. do in Slang To tire completely; exhaust: The marathon did me in. To kill. To ruin utterly: Huge losses on the stock market did many investors in. do up To adorn or dress lavishly: The children were all done up in matching outfits. To wrap and tie (a package). To fasten: do up the buttons on a dress. do without To manage despite the absence of: We had to do without a telephone on the island.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English don

Origin: , from Old English dōn; see dhē- in Indo-European roots

.

noun
Music
The first tone of the diatonic scale in solfeggio.

Origin:

Origin: Italian

Origin: , more singable replacement of ut; see gamut

.

noun pl. dos dos
Slang
A hairdo.

abbreviation
  1. Doctor of Optometry
  2. Doctor of Osteopathy

abbreviation
ditto

abbreviation
Dominican Republic (in Internet addresses)

Learn more about do

Related Articles

link/cite print suggestion box