- do
- I UK [duː] / US [du]
verb
Word forms "do":
present tense I/you/we/they do he/she/it does strong UK [dʌz] / US weak UK [dəz] / US present participle doing past tense did UK [dɪd] / US past participle done UK [dʌn] / US
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Summary:
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 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 question tag 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)a) [auxiliary verb] used for forming a question or negative used before another verb for forming a question or a negativeDo you drive?
The Queen does not interfere in politics.
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.
b) 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 informationYoung William played well, didn't he?
You didn't see my keys lying around anywhere, did you?
2) [intransitive] used for referring back to a previous verb 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 Brighton." "So did I."
3) [auxiliary verb] used for emphasisa) used for emphasizing the meaning of a positive statementYour garden does look nice.
My memory isn't very good, but I do remember what she was wearing.
I did lock the door. I'm absolutely sure.
b) used when you are politely trying to persuade someone to do somethingDo stay and have dinner with us.
Do be quiet!
4) [transitive] perform an action, activity, or joba) to perform an actionI hope you're sorry for what you've done.
do something for someone:He shouldn't have thrown the bottle – it was a stupid thing to do.
Is there anything I can do for you?
b) to take part in an activityI do yoga twice a week.
Are you doing anything this weekend?
nothing to do:While I'm in Norway, I want to do some skiing.
There's nothing to do around here – it's really boring.
c) informal to take part in an activity with othersdo lunch/a film/dinner etc:Call me and we'll do lunch.
d) to perform or complete a job or a piece of workHe's just doing a few jobs around the house.
We'll all be doing exams next week.
Have you done that essay yet?
do the washing/ironing/cooking etc:He did his PhD at Harvard.
Who's going to do the cooking?
e) to perform a play, song, dance etcTo start with, we'd like to do a song from our first album.
f) to take action in order to deal with a situationdo something about something:Don't just stand there, do something!
What is the government going to do about the growing crisis in the Health Service?
5) [transitive] informal make things clean or tidy to clean something, or to make a place tidyI want to do the sitting room and the bedrooms before our guests arrive.
do the dishes/windows/floors etc:A man comes in once a week to do the garden.
Here, let me help you do the dishes.
6) [transitive] have an effect to have a good or harmful effectIt's amazing what a little encouragement can do.
do something to someone/something:Frost can do a lot of damage.
do (someone/something) good/harm:Can't you see what all this stress and uncertainty is doing to our family?
The fresh air will do you good.
How much harm did the oil crisis do to our economy?
7) [intransitive] used for talking about health or successa) [always progressive] used for talking about someone's health or their general situationbe doing well/fine etc:Sam! I haven't seen you in a while – how are you doing?
Grandpa's not doing too well – we had to take him to hospital last night.
b) used for talking about how someone is progressing or how successful they aredo well/badly/all right etc:How's Monica doing? Has she finished her course yet?
He did well in the exams.
I'm afraid the business is doing badly – profits are right down.
8) [transitive] British study to study a subject"Which subjects are you doing at college?" "I'm doing history and economics."
9) [transitive] informal spend time to spend an amount of time doing somethingI did two years in the navy.
10) [transitive] provide or sell to provide a service or product for customers to buyOffice Supplies do a nice little computer desk at £35.
We do sandwiches and other snacks in the bar.
11) [transitive] make somethinga) to prepare a particular kind of foodI'm doing chicken for dinner tonight.
b) to draw or paint a picture or decorationAll these paintings of Venice were done by Canaletto.
Who did the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel?
12) [transitive] move a particular distance or at a particular speeda) used for saying how far someone or something succeeds in travellingWe did 32 miles that day, marching over rough mountain roads.
b) used for saying what speed someone or something achievesThe Toyota MR2 will do 130 mph.
13) [transitive] informal act like someone to copy someone's voice, manner, or way of moving, in order to entertain peopleYou should see him do Elvis Presley.
14) [intransitive] informal change in a particular way used for talking about how something may changeI wonder what the weather's going to do.
It all depends on what interest rates do over the next twelve months.
15) [transitive] British informal cheat to cheat someoneYou paid £50 for that rubbish? You've been done!
16) [transitive] informal use drugs to use illegal drugsHe doesn't drink or do drugs, but he smokes.
17) [transitive] British informal catch and punish if the police do you for a crime, they catch you and you are punishedget done for something:He got done for driving without a licence.
18) [transitive] informal visit a place to visit a famous place as a touristAfter we'd done the Pyramids we went back to the Cairo Museum.
•do your best/utmost
— to try as hard as you canI'm not sure if I can win this race, but I'll do my best.
do your teeth/hair/nails etc
— to brush your teeth/arrange your hair/paint your etcShe was sitting in front of the mirror doing her hair.
Don't forget to do your teeth before you go to bed.
what someone does (for a living)
— someone's job or professionI'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."
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 thereThat's my diary, but what's it doing on your desk?
What are you doing wandering about the school at this time of night?
what's doing?
— spoken used for asking what events are taking placeSo what's doing back in the village these days?
won't do/wouldn't do/doesn't do
— spoken used for saying that a particular situation or way of behaving is not sensible or suitableIt wouldn't do for you to be seen with someone like Joe.
- do it- will doPhrasal verbs:- do down- do for- do in- do out- do over- do to- do up- do with
II UK [duː] / US [du] noun [countable]
Word forms "do":
singular do plural dos informal1) a social event such as a partyWe're having a bit of a do to celebrate Pam's birthday.
2) a hairstyle•
III UK [dəʊ] / US [doʊ]
English dictionary. 2014.
