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¹do

verb \ˈdü\

did \ˈdid, dəd\ done \ˈdən\ do·ing \ˈdü-iŋ\ does \ˈdəz\

Definition of DO

transitive verb

: to bring to pass : carry out <do another's wishes>

: put —used chiefly in do to death

a : perform, execute <do some work> <did his duty>

b : commit <crimes done deliberately>

a : bring about, effect <trying to do good> <do violence>

b : to give freely : pay <do honor to her memory>

: to bring to an end : finish —used in the past participle <the job is finally done>

: to put forth : exert <did her best to win the race>

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

: to bring into existence : produce <do a biography on the general>

—used as a substitute verb especially to avoid repetition <if you must make such a racket, do it somewhere else>

a : to play the role or character of

b : mimic; also : to behave like <do a Houdini and disappear>

c : to perform in or serve as producer of <do a play>

: to treat unfairly; especially : cheat <did him out of his inheritance>

: 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>

: to be engaged in the study or practice of <do science>; especially : to work at as a vocation <what to do after college>

a : to pass over (as distance) : traverse <did 20 miles yesterday>

b : to travel at a speed of <doing 55 on the turnpike>

: tour <doing 12 countries in 30 days>

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>

: to serve the needs of : suit, suffice <worms will do us for bait>

: to approve especially by custom, opinion, or propriety <you oughtn't to say a thing like that … it's not done — Dorothy Sayers>

: to treat with respect to physical comforts <did themselves well>

: use 3 <doesn't do drugs>

: to have sexual intercourse with

: to partake of <let's do lunch>

intransitive verb

: act, behave <do as I say>

a : get along, fare <do well in school>

b : to carry on business or affairs : manage <we can do without your help>

: to take place : happen <what's doing across the street>

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

: to be active or busy <let us then be up and doing — H. W. Longfellow>

: to be adequate or sufficient : serve <half of that will do>

: to be fitting : conform to custom or propriety <won't do to be late>

—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>

—used in the imperative after an imperative to add emphasis <be quiet do>

verbal auxiliary

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>

—used with the infinitive without to to form present and past tenses expressing emphasis <I do say> <do be careful>

— do·able \ˈdü-ə-bəl\ adjective

— do a number on

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

— do away with

: to put an end to : abolish

: to put to death : kill

— do by

: to deal with : treat

— do for

chiefly British

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

: to bring about the death or ruin of

— do it

: to have sexual intercourse

— do justice

a : to act justly

b : to treat fairly or adequately

c : to show due appreciation for

: 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

Origin 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

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to DO

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

Antonyms: blemish, deface, disfigure, mar, scar, spoil

Rhymes with DO

blue, boo, brew, chew, clew, clue, coo, coup, crew, cue, dew, doux, due, ewe, few, flu, flue, fou, glue, gnu, goo, hew, hue, Jew, Koo, lieu, loo, mew, moo, moue, mu, new, nu, ooh, pew, phew, pooh, q, queue, roux, rue, screw, shoe, shoo, shrew, Sioux, skew, slew, slough, slue, smew, sou, sous, spew, sprue, stew, strew, sue, Sue, thew, through, to, too, true, two, u, view, whew, who, woo, xu, yew, you, zoo

²do

noun \ˈdü\

plural dos or do's \ˈdüz\

Definition of DO

chiefly dialect : fuss, ado

archaic : deed, duty

a : a festive get-together : affair, party

b chiefly British : battle

: a command or entreaty to do something <a list of dos and don'ts>

British : cheat, swindle

: hairdo

First Known Use of DO

1599

³do

noun \ˈdō\

Definition of DO

: the first tone of the diatonic scale in solmization

Origin of DO

Italian

First Known Use: circa 1754

Rhymes with DO

beau, blow, bow, bro, Chou, crow, doe, dough, floe, flow, foe, fro, froe, glow, go, grow, ho, hoe, jo, Jo, joe, know, lo, low, mho, mot, mow, no, No, O, oh, owe, Poe, pow, pro, rho, roe, row, Rowe, schmo, sew, show, sloe, slow, snow, so, sow, stow, Stowe, strow, though, throe, throw, toe, tow, trow, whoa, woe, yo

⁴do

abbreviation

Definition of DO

ditto

double occupancy

DO

abbreviation

Definition of DO

defense order

doctor of osteopathy

Other Education Terms

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

DO Defined for Kids

¹do

verb \dü\

did \did\done \ˈdən\do·ing \ˈdü-iŋ\does \ˈdəz\

Definition of DO for Kids

: to cause (as an act or action) to happen : perform <Tell me what to do.> <Do me a favor.>

: ²act 2, behave <Do as I say, not as I do.>

: to make progress : succeed <He is doing well in school.>

: to finish working on —used in the past participle <My project is almost done.>

: to put forth : exert <Just do your best.>

: to work on, prepare, produce, or put in order <Do your homework.> <This artist does beautiful landscapes.>

: to work at as a paying job <What does she do for a living?>

: to serve the purpose : suit <This will do very well.>

: to have an effect <A vacation would do you some good.>

: to travel at a speed of <doing 50 miles per hour>

—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

: to get rid of

: ¹kill 1