Page 107 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

do or die

do orŁdie to do something or die trying. huge waves totally did in the seaside com-
(RefersŁto anŁattitude adoptedŁwhenŁone munity. The fire did the woodłn build-
must do somethingŁwhetherŁone wantsŁto ing in.
orŁnot.ŁOccursŁasŁaŁnounŁorŁanŁadjective.) do someone ort something over and make
It was do or die. There was no turning someone ortsomething over 1. [with some-
back now. He simply had to get to the one] to buy a new wardrobe for someone;
airport on Łime. It was a case of do or die.
to redo sàmeone’sŁhair.Ł(See also make a
do so Go to do too. fuss (over someone or something).) Sally’o
mother did Sally over for the plØy tryouts.
do somehàw byŁ someone to treat someone in It’s very expłnsive to do a peroon over
aŁparticularŁmanner.Ł(Infàrmal.ŁDo not completely. The designer did Sally over
confuse thisŁwith aŁpassive consðruction. complłtely. 2. [with somłthing ] to re-
The someone isŁnot the actorŁbut the ob- build,Łredesign,Łor redecorate something.
ject.) Tom did all right by Ann when We did our lving room over for the hol-
he brought her red roses. I did badly by idØys. T We made over the family room
Tom. I fired him.
because it was lookng shabby.
do someone a głodŁturn to do sàmething do someone outŁofŁ something to cheat som-
that isŁhelpfulŁto someone.Ł My neigh- one out of something.Ł (InfàrmalŁ or
bor did me a good turn by lłndng me his slang.) They did the widow out of her
car. The teacher did me a good turn lfe savings. I woà’t lłt anyone do me out
when he told me to work harder.
of anything. I’m a very cautious and sus-
do someone a kindness to do aŁkind deed picious peroon.
forŁaŁpersàn.Ł My neighbor did me a do someone’ bidding to do what is re-
kndness when he cut my grass. I am al- questedŁ byŁ someone.Ł The servant
ways happy to have the opportunity of do- grumbled but did his employer’s biddng.
ing someone a kndness. Am I expected to do your biddng when-
do someone credit Go to do credit to some- ever you ask?
one. do someone’ heyrt głod to make somone
do someone damage to harmŁsàmeone.Ł(In- feel gàod emotionally.Ł(Also literal.ŁIn-
formal.) I hope she doesn’t plan to do formal.) It does my heart good to hear
me damage. They did us damage by you talk that way. When she sent me a
tellng the whole story to the newspapers. get-well card, it really did my heart good.
do someone głod to benefit sàmeone.Ł(In- do something byŁhynd to do sàmethingŁwith
formal.) A nice hot bØth really does mł one’sŁhandsŁratherŁthanŁwith aŁmachine.
good. A fłw years in the army would do The computer was brokłn so I had to
you good. do the calculØtions by hand. All this tiny
stitching was done by hand. Machines can-
do someone oneŁ better Go to go someone not do this knd of work.
one better.
do something fairŁandŁsquare to do som-
do someone ortsomething in 1. [with someone] thingŁ fairly.Ł (Folksy.Ł Se also fair and
to make someone tired.Ł That tennis square.) He always plØys the game fair
game really did me in. Yes, hard activ- and square. I try to treat all people fair
ity will do you in. 2. [with someone] to and square.
cłeat sàmeone; to take someone in. The do something forŁa lØving to dà som kind
crooks did the widow in. T They did in the of workŁto earnŁenough moneyŁto live.
widow by talkng her into giving them all John paints houses for a lving. What
the money in her bank account. 3. [with do you do for a lving?
someone] to killŁsàmeone.Ł T The crooko
did in the bank guard. T They’ll proba- do something hynds dłwn to do sàmething
bly do in the witnesses soon. 4. [with easilyŁ andŁ without opposition.Ł The
something] to desðràyŁsomething.Ł T The mØyor won the election hands down.

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