do
verb (used with object)
to perform (an act, duty, role, etc.).
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do
1 American
[doo, doo, duh]
/ du, dʊ, də /
verb (used with object)
-
does,
present (3rd person singular)
-
did,
past
-
done,
past participle
-
doing
present participle
-
to perform (an act, duty, role, etc.).
Do nothing until you hear the bell.
- Synonyms:
- act
-
to execute (a piece or amount of work).
to do a hauling job.
-
to accomplish; finish; complete.
He has already done his homework.
-
to put forth; exert.
Do your best.
-
to be the cause of (good, harm, credit, etc.); bring about; effect.
-
to render, give, or pay (homage, justice, etc.).
-
to deal with, fix, clean, arrange, move, etc., (anything) as the case may require.
to do the dishes.
-
to travel; traverse.
We did 30 miles today.
-
to serve; suffice for.
This will do us for the present.
-
to condone or approve, as by custom or practice.
That sort of thing simply isn't done.
-
to travel at the rate of (a specified speed).
He was doing 80 when they arrested him.
-
to make or prepare.
I'll do the salad.
-
to serve (a term of time) in prison, or, sometimes, in office.
-
to create, form, or bring into being.
She does wonderful oil portraits.
-
to translate into or change the form or language of.
MGM did the book into a movie.
-
to study or work at or in the field of.
I have to do my math tonight.
-
to explore or travel through as a sightseer.
They did Greece in three weeks.
-
(used with a pronoun, as it or that, or with a general noun, as thing, that refers to a previously mentioned action).
You were supposed to write thank-you letters; do it before tomorrow, please.
-
Informal. to wear out; exhaust; tire.
That last set of tennis did me.
-
Informal. to cheat, trick, or take advantage of.
That crooked dealer did him for $500 at poker.
-
Informal. to attend or participate in.
Let's do lunch next week.
-
Slang. to use (a drug or drugs), especially habitually.
The police report said he was doing cocaine.
-
Slang. to rob; steal from.
The law got him for doing a lot of banks.
-
Slang: Vulgar. to have sex with.
-
Informal. (usually in the negative) to act in accordance with expectations associated with (something specified).
Just ignore her insults—she doesn’t do polite.
verb (used without object)
-
does,
present (3rd person singular)
-
did,
past
-
done,
past participle
-
doing
present participle
-
to act or conduct oneself; be in action; behave.
-
to proceed.
to do wisely.
-
to get along; fare; manage.
to do without an automobile.
-
to be in health, as specified.
Mother and child are doing fine.
-
to serve or be satisfactory, as for the purpose; be enough; suffice.
Will this do?
-
to finish or be finished.
-
to happen; take place; transpire.
What's doing at the office?
-
(used as a substitute to avoid repetition of a verb or full verb expression).
I think as you do.
auxiliary verb
-
does,
present (3rd person singular)
-
did,
past
-
done,
past participle
-
doing
present participle
-
(used in interrogative, negative, and inverted constructions).
Do you like music? I don't care. Seldom do we witness such catastrophes.
-
Archaic. (used in imperatives with you or thou expressed; and occasionally as a metric filler in verse).
Do thou hasten to the king's side. The wind did blow, the rain did fall.
-
(used to lend emphasis to a principal verb).
Do visit us!
noun
-
dos,
plural
-
do's
plural
-
Informal. a burst of frenzied activity; action; commotion.
-
Informal. a hairdo or hair styling.
-
British Slang. a swindle; hoax.
-
Informal. a festive social gathering; party.
verb phrase
-
do without
-
to forgo; dispense with.
-
to dispense with the thing mentioned.
The store doesn't have any, so you'll have to do without.
-
-
do in
-
to kill, especially to murder.
-
to injure gravely or exhaust; wear out; ruin.
The tropical climate did them in.
-
to cheat or swindle.
He was done in by an unscrupulous broker.
-
-
do up
-
to wrap and tie up.
-
to pin up or arrange (the hair).
-
to renovate; launder; clean.
-
to wear out; tire.
-
to fasten.
Do up your coat.
-
to dress.
The children were all done up in funny costumes.
-
-
do for
-
to cause the defeat, ruin, or death of.
-
Chiefly British. to cook and keep house for; manage or provide for.
-
-
do over to redecorate.
-
do with to gain advantage or benefit from; make use of.
I could do with more leisure time.
-
do by to deal with; treat.
He had always done well by his family.
idioms
-
do time, to serve a term in prison.
It's hard to get a decent job once you've done time.
-
dos and don'ts, customs, rules, or regulations.
The dos and don'ts of polite manners are easy to learn.
-
do one's (own) thing. thing.
-
do a number on (someone). number.
-
have to do with. have.
-
do one's number. number.
-
do away with,
-
to put an end to; abolish.
-
to kill.
-
-
do or die, to make a supreme effort.
-
make do, to get along with what is at hand, despite its inadequacy.
I can't afford a new coat so I have to make do with this one.
-
do one proud. proud.
-
do to death. death.
-
do out of, to swindle; cheat.
A furniture store did me out of several hundred dollars.
do
2
American
[doh]
/ doʊ /
noun
Music.
-
dos
plural
-
the syllable used for the first tone or keynote of a diatonic scale.
-
(in the fixed system of solmization) the tone C.
do.
3
American
abbreviation
D/O
4
American
Or
d.o.
D.O.
5
American
Or
DO
do
1
British
/ duː, də, dʊ /
verb
-
to perform or complete (a deed or action)
to do a portrait
the work is done
-
to serve the needs of; be suitable for (a person, situation, etc); suffice
there isn't much food, but it'll do for the two of us
-
(tr) to arrange or fix
you should do the garden now
-
(tr) to prepare or provide; serve
this restaurant doesn't do lunch on Sundays
-
(tr) to make tidy, elegant, ready, etc, as by arranging or adorning
to do one's hair
-
(tr) to improve (esp in the phrase do something to or for )
-
(tr) to find an answer to (a problem or puzzle)
-
(tr) to translate or adapt the form or language of
the book was done into a play
-
(intr) to conduct oneself
do as you please
-
(intr) to fare or manage
how are you doing these days?
-
(tr) to cause or produce
complaints do nothing to help
-
(tr) to give or render
your portrait doesn't do you justice
do me a favour
-
(tr) to work at, esp as a course of study or a profession
he is doing chemistry
what do you do for a living?
-
(tr) to perform (a play, etc); act
they are doing ``Hamlet'' next week
-
(tr) to travel at a specified speed, esp as a maximum
this car will do 120 mph
-
(tr) to travel or traverse (a distance)
we did 15 miles on our walk
-
(takes an infinitive without to) used as an auxiliary before the subject of an interrogative sentence as a way of forming a question
do you agree?
when did John go out?
-
(takes an infinitive without to) used as an auxiliary to intensify positive statements and commands
I do like your new house
do hurry!
-
(takes an infinitive without to) used as an auxiliary before a negative adverb to form negative statements or commands
he does not like cheese
do not leave me here alone!
-
(takes an infinitive without to) used as an auxiliary in inverted constructions
little did he realize that
only rarely does he come in before ten o'clock
-
used as an auxiliary to replace an earlier verb or verb phrase to avoid repetition
he likes you as much as I do
-
informal (tr) to visit or explore as a sightseer or tourist
to do Westminster Abbey
-
(tr) to wear out; exhaust
-
(intr) to happen (esp in the phrase nothing doing )
-
slang (tr) to serve (a period of time) as a prison sentence
he's doing three years for burglary
he's doing time
-
informal (tr) to cheat or swindle
-
slang (tr) to rob
they did three shops last night
-
slang (tr)
-
to arrest
-
to convict of a crime
-
-
informal (tr) to lose or spend (money) completely
-
slang (tr) to treat violently; assault
-
slang (tr) to take or use (a drug)
-
taboo (tr) (of a male) to have sexual intercourse with
-
(tr) to partake in (a meal)
let's do lunch
-
informal to act like; imitate
he's a good mimic – he can do all his friends well
-
to make a final or supreme effort
-
a conventional formula when being introduced
-
to manage with whatever is available
noun
-
slang an act or instance of cheating or swindling
-
informal a formal or festive gathering; party
-
informal those things that should or should not be done; rules
DO
2
British
abbreviation
-
Doctor of Optometry
-
Doctor of Osteopathy
D/O
3
British
abbreviation
do
4
British
/ dəʊ /
noun
do
5
British
abbreviation
do.
6
British
abbreviation
Synonym Usage
Do, accomplish, achieve mean to bring some action to a conclusion. Do is the general word: He did a great deal of hard work. Accomplish and achieve both connote successful completion of an undertaking. Accomplish emphasizes attaining a desired goal through effort, skill, and perseverance: to accomplish what one has hoped for. Achieve emphasizes accomplishing something important, excellent, or great: to achieve a major breakthrough.
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
dosimple
-
doessimple
-
have doneperfect
-
has doneperfect
-
am doingprogressive
-
are doingprogressive
-
is doingprogressive
-
have been doingperfect progressive
-
has been doingperfect progressive
Past
-
didsimple
-
had doneperfect
-
was doingprogressive
-
were doingprogressive
-
had been doingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of do1
First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English dōn; cognate with Dutch doen, German tun; akin to Latin -dere “to put,” facere “to make, do,” Greek tithénai “to set, put,” Sanskrit dadhāti “(he) puts”
Origin of do2
First recorded in 1745–55; from Italian, inverted variant of ut; see origin at gamut
Explanation
To do is to act, perform, or undertake. When you do chores, you engage in the activity of cleaning the kitchen or taking out the trash. Do is one of the most frequently used verbs in English. You do many things in a typical day: you might do the dishes, do your job, and later on, do your taxes. If you meet an old-fashioned gentleman, he might say, "How do you do?" essentially meaning, "Hello." After a difficult test, your friend could ask, "How did you do?" You can also do as you please, or just do nothing all day long.
Vocabulary lists containing do
Scrabble: Two-Letter Words
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Spelling Practice, Unit 8
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Spelling Practice 1, Unit 3
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“SB 954 was developed to ensure those same mistakes do not continue.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026
“I wouldn’t do that to her, I wouldn’t do that to you. I wouldn’t waste everyone’s time.”
From Slate ● Sep. 19, 2026
So I think finding out that they weren't able to do that anymore was just completely devastating.
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026
I do like the Trailseeker’s front corners, skinned with dense, injection-molded plastic over sheet steel.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2026
There isn’t much to do except take the few things she owns, get into the car with Father Monaghan and Lulu, and go to Novaliches.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
“But we are not looking for people to be pen pals, which seems to be what everybody wants to do. We need real help.”
From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026
"So we were begging – I'd usually go down and speak to people about what I was trying to do. I explained I wasn't going to tear up their space or anything like that."
From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026
As former Goldman Sachs commodity strategist Jeff Currie pointed out a month ago, “Nobody on planet earth consumes crude oil. Refineries do. Everyone else consumes gasoline and diesel.”
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 11, 2026
“I give a lot of myself to each thing I do. And I try to really be present for most of it,” Elsesser says.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2026
“Blast! I came here to hear dead people talking, and I’m not leaving until I do. Who else can you ring up?”
From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood
"Robotic-assisted surgery has the potential to change the way surgeons think about revision knee replacement," said Matthew Bullock, D.O., associate professor of orthopaedic surgery and co-author on the study.
From Science Daily ● Jan. 17, 2024
But the dance instructor has a TikTok following of his own, and the D.O. is also a Lululemon ambassador.
From New York Times ● Oct. 27, 2021
Yet each year thousands of graduates emerge from medical schools with a virtually useless M.D. or D.O.; without residency experience, they do not qualify for licensure in any state.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 22, 2021
“The D.O. has published dozens of columns and letters to the editor from liberal and conservative writers alike. We aren’t afraid of controversial views, but we have a responsibility to avoid promoting harmful ones.”
From Washington Times ● Jun. 11, 2020
The D.O. is also responsible for the improvement of the gifts of his Officers and of their efficiency for the work they have in hand.
From The Authoritative Life of General William Booth by George S. (George Scott) Railton
Images of Air Force One parked at the Turkish airport show vehicles labeled with the logo of a catering company called Turkish DO & CO.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
"This executive order is wrong. The President does not have the expertise to make these changes. Vaccines are overwhelmingly safe. Vaccines are effective. Vaccines DO NOT cause autism," Cassidy said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026
The website can also be used by people to note that they expressly DO wish to be a donor.
From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2025
“If you receive one of these citations, DO NOT scan the QR code, and report it to the Alhambra PD Traffic Section at 626-570-5119,” the police department wrote on social media.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2024
Along the way, they’d pass a manhole cover on which someone had spray-painted DO NOT EAT THIS!
From "The 57 Bus" by Dashka Slater
The DMA comes with a list of do's and don'ts for the world's biggest digital platforms in an attempt to keep them in check and create an open online space.
From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026
Across schools, the bigger fix would be more precision from administrators on AI do’s and don’ts, Anand said.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 22, 2026
Here are some do’s and don’ts to remember when using AI for performance reviews:
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 24, 2026
The venue, on the outskirts of Shrewsbury, also features a fully restored cottage for newlyweds who get married there, as well as multiple areas where couples can say their "I do's".
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2025
After practice, everybody came over to me, doing the best they could to hold their words in but sending me all their what did you do's with their eyes.
From "Ghost" by Jason Reynolds
The nearly 20-acre property is located near Angra dos Reis, a coastal region around two hours from Rio de Janeiro.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026
The helicopters collided in Recreio dos Bandeirantes, a western suburb of Rio de Janeiro, then plummeted into the parking lot of an electric car dealership, setting ablaze around 20 cars, firefighters said.
From Barron's ● Jun. 14, 2026
The researchers are now testing moringa seed extract on water collected from the Paraíba do Sul River, which supplies São José dos Campos.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 20, 2026
Alison dos Santos of Jamaica, the bronze medalist in both the Tokyo and Paris Games, won the men’s 400 hurdles in 46.65.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 5, 2025
Befores and afters, dos and don’ts, Farewells and hellos and good-byes.
From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner
She added: “The university takes all reports of harassment seriously, including those involving gender identity, and applies the same legal standards to these reports as it does to all allegations of harassment.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026
“They would want there to be a credible association that they believe provides some basis for saying that there’s causation,” meaning evidence that the drug does, in fact, cause the side effect.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2026
Next, Sam Sankar of the environmental-law organization Earthjustice explains why SCOTUS’ longstanding skepticism towards the environment does not make him as pessimistic as one might expect.
From Slate ● Sep. 19, 2026
As public debate continues to grow over the safety of developing the tech, so too does conversation around regulation.
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026
I feel as empty as my stomach does.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
“How and why did nobody question these visuals?” he continued.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026
As my talk with Kelley wound down, he said, “I wonder if I did the right thing or not.”
From Salon ● Sep. 19, 2026
But there’s one race that’s standing out, much as the likeness of an old man’s face once did on Cannon Mountain.
From Slate ● Sep. 19, 2026
Blair is now a full-time professional wrestler, but growing it was such a "niche thing" that she did not feel able to talk about her ambition with others.
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026
The impossible boy made a sound like puppies did when they got very excited.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Newsom vetoed a separate bill, AB 2301, as he has done with similar measures three times since 2024.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026
Corvin has done that himself, wrestling in India, France and Switzerland, as well as across the UK and Ireland.
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026
“I’ve never been so ambitious,” he says, “and I’ve never done a project with as much love in it and as little ego.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026
Mr. Bessent is right to worry that this be done in a gradual way, and exchange-rate stability can help.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
“Have you said, ‘Dad, I have to get my homework done first, and if I have time after that, I’ll help you’?”
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
Captain McGinn has previously described learning Emery's methods as doing "a lot of homework".
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026
He never graduated from college, and has a relatively limited record in running businesses, doing deals or managing a vast portfolio of stock investments.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2026
Understanding what the coverage is doing, when is it time to take off and go,” Kennedy said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026
Many other stocks are not doing as well.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 18, 2026
One of the mule drivers started to move the armor, and Don Quixote cried out: "You evil creature! What are you doing?"
From "Adventures of Don Quixote" by Argentina Palacios
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
