Skip to main content
to do

to do

∞ 1.0
Progress or get along in a situation
  • verb
  • /du/
: ir
  • How does she do that?
  • doing well

Examples

  • So thank you for all you do, gang, gang.

  • So what else do we need to do?

  • So what are the things that you do that help?

  • Well, if some people can do that, can you?

  • So Daniel, what do you love to do?

  • OK, let's just jump in and do some examples.

  • Honestly, let's just end the day by doing something fun.

  • I got myself to school early, as I always do, to put finishing touches on everything.

    Academic text (2013)
  • It doesn't matter what you do, it's the how.

  • What do you usually do to relax after a long day?

Synonyms

to make
vsto do
∞ 1.0

To do an action or task

is more general, also referring to ongoing progress or coping
to perform
vsto do
∞ 1.3

To do a task or duty

is broader, covering both action and steady progress in situations
to act
vsto do
745 1.0

Take action to deal with a problem or situation

is wider, including both taking action and continuing progress
to make out
vsto do
  • Informal
118 3.7

To manage or get by during a difficult time

is broader, not limited to coping in hard circumstances
to fare
vsto do
108 5.4

To do well or badly in a situation

focuses more on general performance and progress in activities
to get along
vsto do
58 2.1

Manage or do well in a situation

covers this idea but also includes carrying out single actions

Antonyms

∞ 1.0

Not succeed in doing something you wanted to do

117 1.0

An act when something ends or pauses

Idioms

Not involved with a person or thing

how do you do
  • Formal
101 6.1

A formal greeting used when meeting someone for the first time that does not need an answer

to do the trick
  • Informal
87 3.7

To get the result you want

Be closely connected to something or happen because of it

37 5.1

Give someone help that does more harm than good

25 7.8

To have sex, often used in a polite way to mean to get married

do or die
  • Informal
19 6.7

A situation when you must succeed because failure is not allowed

16 7.5

A promise to stay married for the rest of both people's lives

Take any action needed to reach a goal, even when it is difficult

do not pass go
  • Informal
3 9.1

To refuse someone any further chance and make them leave immediately

To succeed by helping others and acting fairly

1 8.5

Work without full effort and leave tasks half finished

1 8.1

Not easy to find or get

1 3.2

Act responsibly because your role or job needs it

Follow how people behave where you are

1 3.5

Jump into water while pulling your knees to your chest to make a big splash

1 7.4

Saying this shows someone has the same habit or choice

Use tricks to hide the truth

People say it to boast about something they or someone else did

1 9.9

A question said to show someone is asking for too much

1 5.5

What someone does shows who they really are more than what they say

1 8.0

Not speaking to show your feelings or thoughts

1 7.6

Use what you have and fix things instead of buying new ones

to do it mañana
  • Informal
9.9

To wait until tomorrow to do something instead of doing it now

Trick someone so they end up worse off

To try very hard to do something

Serve a prison sentence without involving other people

To try as hard as possible

9.8

To ask someone if they agree or what they think

Phrasal Verbs

∞ 1.2

Be successful or have good results in something

To be about something or connected to it

882 1.5

Spend time without any activity

488 2.4

To help someone by making them healthier or happier

409 3.0

Ask someone politely to help you with something

184 4.2

To need or want something because it would help now

131 7.5

Take illegal or recreational drugs to change how you feel

112 2.6

Act in a wise way that helps you

Remove something so it is no longer used

75 4.4

Calculate the numbers to see if something is worth it

Show a higher level of skill or quality than before

Carry out a social duty like introducing guests or serving drinks

58 4.1

Show a person or thing so people can see its true value

55 6.7

Treat someone in a certain way

to do it
  • NSFW
52 9.8

To have sex with someone

Treat someone fairly and give them support

48 3.7

Use what you have even if it is not enough

To wash plates, cups, and other things used for eating after a meal

25 8.6

To harm someone or something very badly

22 7.7

Damage or spoil something badly

To break the law

To show something as well as it really is

14 8.3

Make someone very tired or unable to continue

To treat someone unfairly or break their trust

To turn your body sideways in a full circle touching the ground with hands and feet to show joy

to do in
  • Offensive
11 8.3

To kill or seriously hurt someone to remove a threat

to do you for
  • Informal
9 9.9

Ask someone how you can help them in a playful way

to do a 180
  • Informal
9 6.8

To completely change your opinion or decision

8 3.9

Make yourself look attractive by dressing and doing your hair or makeup

Treat someone with respect and kindness

6 9.5

To have sex with someone

6 8.4

Cheat someone so they lose money or other things they should have

To calculate the money and costs to see if something is affordable

5 8.9

To pee or poo, often said about animals and young children

5 8.4

Treat someone unfairly or hurt them, often when they trust you

4 3.7

Wrap and decorate something like a present to make it look attractive

4 6.6

To suddenly change your opinion or plan to the opposite

To make someone feel very annoyed or upset

to do ill
  • Offensive
2 7.5

To harm someone or cause them trouble

To try as hard as you can to do something well

1 5.8

To clean and tidy a room to make it ready to use

to do it tough
  • Australian
1 8.5

To live through hard times and keep going

to do in
  • Offensive
1 7.4

To damage something so it stops working or make a person very tired

1 4.2

Act on your own without following what other people want

1 9.3

To run away quickly to avoid being caught

to do down
  • Offensive
1 8.6

To say bad things about someone to make them look worse

To become successful and earn enough money

To annoy people online a little on purpose to make them react for fun

9.9

To create or perform something while taking LSD so it looks strange and colorful

To suddenly scare someone and make them jump

Compounds

to-do
  • Jargon
65 3.6

A note about a task to do later

Made or fixed by yourself instead of a professional

24 4.2

People who have plenty of money and live comfortably

16 4.2

Being positive and willing to try difficult tasks

11 7.5

Not willing or able to take action

10 4.8

A Korean martial art with fast high kicks and hand strikes

ne'er-do-well
  • Offensive
8 9.9

A person who is lazy, irresponsible, and does not try to succeed

do-si-do
  • Jargon
7 9.9

Two people walk around each other back to back then return to their places

A positive, confident way of dealing with tasks and problems

do-or-die
  • Informal
5 7.2

Willing to do anything to succeed when the situation is urgent

derring-do
  • Archaic
5 9.9

Brave acts that show courage and a love of adventure

how-do-you-do
  • Archaic
1 9.3

An awkward or difficult situation that causes trouble

do-nothing
  • Offensive
1 7.0

A person who avoids work and makes little effort

honey do list
  • Informal
1 8.6

A list of small jobs one partner asks the other to do at home

do-or-die moment
  • Informal
1 6.0

A time when someone must succeed or they will fail under great pressure

1 5.7

A temporary thing used instead of what you need

how-do-you-do
  • Formal
1 8.2

A polite, formal greeting used when meeting someone for the first time

dog do
  • NSFW
1 8.0

Poop a dog leaves on the ground

fair do
  • UK
1 9.9

It is right to give someone credit for what they did

1 9.5

A party to say goodbye to someone leaving a job or group

A city near São Paulo in southeastern Brazil with many factories

doggy do
  • NSFW
8.8

Poop left by a dog on the ground that people must pick up

A way of acting that uses little effort

A habit of not trying hard and avoiding work

how-d'ye-do
  • Archaic
9.9

An awkward problem that causes a fuss

How Well

to thrive
233 3.2
to manage
∞ 3.2
to do
∞ 1.0
to get by
128 3.1
struggle
417 3.2

Surface Forms

do infinitive
doing present participle
does third person singular
did past
done past participle

Etymology

Do in questions like 'How are you doing?' comes from the same old verb meaning 'to get along' or 'to act' in life. That's why 'doing' talks about progress or condition.