do in
Britishverb
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to murder or kill
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to exhaust
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Tire out, exhaust, as in Running errands all day did me in . [ Colloquial ; early 1900s] Also see done in .
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Kill, as in Mystery writers are always thinking of new ways to do their characters in . [ Slang ; early 1900s] Also see def. 4.
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Ruin utterly; also cheat or swindle. For example, The five-alarm fire did in the whole block , or His so-called friend really did him in . [First half of 1900s]
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do oneself in . Commit suicide, as in She was always threatening to do herself in . [ Slang ; first half of 1900s]
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.
He even thinks the tech could get people to reread old favorites: "Now is the time to maybe dive into areas where it was really hard to do in the past."
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
The fledgling Burnham administration has been seeking to find its feet and make a decent first impression at the same time, as many try to do in the first days in a job.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
“We can do certain things in the air in L.A., on tour, with swinging and pyrotechnics, and there’s certain elements we can’t do in London because it moves from the stage,” he continued.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
“One of the most radical things you can do in a moment of extreme fear and a moment of authoritarianism,” he told The Advocate, “is to experience joy and happiness.”
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026
“What does it look like? I’m sweeping. You know, all the snacking we do in here makes a real mess on the floor,” she said.
From "The World According to Humphrey" by Betty G. Birney
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.
