doto perform an act, duty, or role: Do nothing until you hear from me.; to accomplish; finish; complete: Do your homework.; to exert oneself: Do your best; to deal with, fix, clean: Do the dishes.Not to be confused with:dew ? condensed moisture: The early morning dew was on the meadow.due ? owed at present: This bill is due now.; owed at a later time: This bill is due next month.; owing as a moral or natural right: You?re due for a reward in heaven.; rightful; proper; fitting: due careAbused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary EmbreeDOabbr.1. Doctor of Optometry2. Doctor of Osteopathic Medicinedo 1 (do?o)v. did (d?d), done (d?n), do·ing, does (d?z) v.tr.1. a. To perform or execute; carry out: 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 perform the tasks or behaviors typically associated with (something), especially as part of one’s character or normal duties: That talk show host just doesn’t do subtle.d. To participate in (a meal or an activity) with another person: Let’s do brunch on Sunday.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 or verb phrase: He can play the piano, and I can do that, too.10. Informal a. To travel (a specified distance): did a mile in four minutes.b. To go (a specified rate): did 80 mph on the highway.c. 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 or bring to orgasm.v.intr.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!v.aux.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.n. pl. 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. A hairdo.5. Chiefly British Slang A swindle; a cheat.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 1. To tire completely; exhaust: The marathon did me in.2. To kill.3. To ruin utterly: Huge losses on the stock market did many investors in. do up1. To adorn or dress lavishly: The children were all done up in matching outfits.2. To wrap and tie (a package).3. 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.Idioms: can/could do without To prefer not to experience or deal with: I could do without their complaints. do a disappearing act Informal To vanish. do away with1. To make an end of; eliminate.2. To destroy; kill. do it Vulgar Slang To engage in sexual intercourse. do (one) proud To act or perform in a way that gives cause for pride. do (one’s) bit To make an individual contribution toward an overall effort. do (one’s) business Slang To defecate. Used especially of a pet. do (one’s) own thing Slang To do what one does best or finds most enjoyable: “I get paid to try cases and to do my thing on trial” (Bruce Cutler).[Middle English don, from Old English d?n; see dh?- in Indo-European roots.]do 2 (d?)n. Music The first tone of the diatonic scale in solfeggio.[Italian, more singable replacement of ut; see gamut.]do 3 (do?o)n. pl. dos Slang A hairdo.American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.do (du?; unstressed d?; d?) vb, does, doing, did or done1. to perform or complete (a deed or action): to do a portrait; the work is done. 2. (often: intr; foll by for) 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. 3. (tr) to arrange or fix: you should do the garden now. 4. (tr) to prepare or provide; serve: this restaurant doesn’t do lunch on Sundays. 5. (tr) to make tidy, elegant, ready, etc, as by arranging or adorning: to do one’s hair. 6. (tr) to improve (esp in the phrase do something to or for)7. (tr) to find an answer to (a problem or puzzle)8. (tr) to translate or adapt the form or language of: the book was done into a play. 9. (intr) to conduct oneself: do as you please. 10. (intr) to fare or manage: how are you doing these days?. 11. (tr) to cause or produce: complaints do nothing to help. 12. (tr) to give or render: your portrait doesn’t do you justice; do me a favour. 13. (Professions) (tr) to work at, esp as a course of study or a profession: he is doing chemistry; what do you do for a living?. 14. (Education) (tr) to work at, esp as a course of study or a profession: he is doing chemistry; what do you do for a living?. 15. (Theatre) (tr) to perform (a play, etc); act: they are doing ‘Hamlet’ next week. 16. (Music, other) (tr) to perform (a play, etc); act: they are doing ‘Hamlet’ next week. 17. (tr) to travel at a specified speed, esp as a maximum: this car will do 120 mph. 18. (tr) to travel or traverse (a distance): we did 15 miles on our walk. 19. (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?. 20. (takes an infinitive without to) used as an auxiliary to intensify positive statements and commands: I do like your new house; do hurry!. 21. (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!. 22. (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. 23. used as an auxiliary to replace an earlier verb or verb phrase to avoid repetition: he likes you as much as I do. 24. (tr) informal to visit or explore as a sightseer or tourist: to do Westminster Abbey. 25. (tr) to wear out; exhaust26. (intr) to happen (esp in the phrase nothing doing)27. (tr) slang to serve (a period of time) as a prison sentence: he’s doing three years for burglary; he’s doing time. 28. (tr) informal to cheat or swindle29. (tr) slang to rob: they did three shops last night. 30. (Law) (tr) slang a. to arrestb. to convict of a crime31. (tr) informal Austral to lose or spend (money) completely32. (tr) slang chiefly Brit to treat violently; assault33. (Recreational Drugs) (tr) slang to take or use (a drug)34. (tr) taboo slang (of a male) to have sexual intercourse with35. (tr) to arrange (a meal): let’s do lunch. 36. do do a informal to act like; imitate: he’s a good mimic ? he can do all his friends well. 37. do or die to make a final or supreme effort38. how do you do? a conventional formula when being introduced39. make do to manage with whatever is availablen, pl dos or do’s40. slang an act or instance of cheating or swindling41. informal chiefly Brit and NZ a formal or festive gathering; party42. do’s and don’ts informal those things that should or should not be done; rules[Old English d?n; related to Old Frisian du?n, Old High German tuon, Latin abdere to put away, Greek tithenai to place; see deed, doom]do (d??) n, pl dos (Music, other) a variant spelling of doh1do the internet domain name for (Computer Science) Dominican Republic DO abbreviation for 1. (Education) Doctor of Optometry 2. (Education) Doctor of Osteopathy Collins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014do1 (du; unstressed d?, d?) v.andauxiliary v., pres. sing. 1stand2nd pers. do, v.t. 1. to perform (an act, duty, role, etc.). 2. to execute (a piece or amount of work): to do a hauling job. 3. to accomplish; finish: He has already done it. 4. to put forth; exert: Do your best. 5. to be the cause of (good, harm, credit, etc.); bring about; effect. 6. to render, give, or pay (homage, justice, etc.). 7. to deal with, fix, clean, arrange, etc., (anything) as the case may require: to do the dishes. 8. to travel; traverse: We did 30 miles today. 9. to serve; suffice for: This will do us for the present. 10. to condone or approve, as by custom or practice: That sort of thing simply isn’t done. 11. to travel at the rate of (a specified speed). 12. to make or prepare: I’ll do the salad. 13. to serve (a term of time) in prison, or, sometimes, in office. 14. to create or bring into being: He does wonderful portraits. 15. to translate or change the form of: They did the book into a movie. 16. to study or work at or in the field of: I have to do my math tonight. 17. to explore or travel through as a sightseer: They did Greece in 3 weeks. 18. to use (drugs), esp. habitually. 19. Slang. to rob; steal from: The law got him for doing banks. v.i. 20. to act or conduct oneself; behave. 21. to proceed: to do wisely. 22. to get along; fare; manage: to do without an automobile. 23. to be in a specified state of health: Mother and child are doing fine. 24. to serve or be satisfactory, as for the purpose; be enough; suffice: Will this do? 25. to finish or be finished. 26. to happen; take place; transpire: What’s doing at the office? 27. (used as a substitute to avoid repetition of a verb or full verb expression): I think as you do. auxiliary v. 28. (used in interrogative, negative, and inverted constructions): Do you like music? I don’t care. Seldom does one see such greed. 29. (used to lend emphasis to a principal verb): Do visit us! 30. do away with, a. to put an end to; abolish. b. to kill. 31. do for, a. to cause the defeat, ruin, or death of. b. to keep house for; manage or provide for. 32. do in, a. to kill; murder. b. to exhaust. 33. do out of, Informal. to swindle; cheat. 34. do over, to redecorate. 35. do up, a. to wrap and tie up. b. to pin up or arrange (the hair). c. to renovate or clean. d. to fasten: Do up your coat. e. to dress: They were all done up in costumes. 36. do with, to benefit from; use. 37. do without, to forgo; dispense with. n. 38. Informal. a burst of frenzied activity; commotion. 39. Informal. a hairdo. 40. Brit. Slang. a swindle; hoax. 41. a festive affair; party. Idioms: 1. do or die, to make a supreme effort. 2. dos and don’ts, customs, rules, or regulations. [before 900; Middle English, Old English d?n; c. Old Saxon d?n, Old High German tuo(a)n; akin to Latin -dere to put (see add), facere to make, do] do2 (do?) n., pl. dos. the musical syllable used for the first note of an ascending diatonic scale. [1745?55; Do is one of the most common verbs in English. Its other forms are does, doing, did, done. It can be an auxiliary verb or a main verb.Do has two other special uses as an auxiliary verb:You can use do to emphasize a statement. The forms do, does, and did can all be used in this way.You can use do in front of an imperative when you are urging someone to do something or accept something.You can also use do as an auxiliary verb to focus on an action.When you use do like this, you put what at the beginning of the sentence, followed by a noun or noun phrase and the auxiliary verb do. After do, you put is or was and an infinitive with or without to.For example, instead of saying ‘Carolyn opened a bookshop’, you can say ‘What Carolyn did was to open a bookshop’ or ‘What Carolyn did was open a bookshop’.You can use all instead of ‘what’ if you want to emphasize that just one thing is done and nothing else.Do is used as a main verb to say that someone performs an action, activity, or task.Do is often used with -ing nouns referring to jobs connected with the home, and with nouns referring generally to work.In conversation, do is often used instead of more specific verbs. For example, if you do your teeth, you brush your teeth.Be Careful!You don’t normally use ‘do’ when you are talking about creating or constructing something. Instead you use make.In questions and negative clauses, you often use do twice. You use it first as an auxiliary verb to form the question or negative verb phrase, and then repeat it as the main verb. The main verb is always in the infinitive form without to.