do

Other forms: did; done; does; doing; doth

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.

Definitions of do

1. verb

   engage in
   “do research”

   “do nothing”

   synonyms: make

   make

   perform or carry out

   types:

   exaggerate, overdo

   do something to an excessive degree

   overpraise

   praise excessively

   oversimplify

   simplify to an excessive degree

   overleap

   defeat (oneself) by going too far
2. verb

   carry out or perform an action
   “John did the painting, the weeding, and he cleaned out the gutters”

   “she did a little dance”

   synonyms: execute, perform

   types:

   click off

   perform or finish an action rapidly

   carry

   sing or play against other voices or parts

   pipe up

   begin to play or sing

   declaim, recite

   recite in elocution

   serenade

   sing and play for somebody

   cut corners

   do something the cheapest or easiest way

   stunt

   perform a stunt or stunts

   cut

   perform or carry out

   blaze away

   perform (an acting passage) brilliantly and rapidly

   scamp

   perform hastily and carelessly

   churn out

   perform in a mechanical way

   premier, premiere

   perform a work for the first time

   star

   be the star in a performance

   appear

   appear as a character on stage or appear in a play, etc.

   practice, practise, rehearse

   engage in a rehearsal (of)

   ad-lib, extemporise, extemporize, improvise, improvize

   perform without preparation

   interpret, render

   give an interpretation or rendition of

   conduct, direct, lead

   lead, as in the performance of a composition

   make

   perform or carry out

   elocute

   declaim in an elocutionary manner

   perorate

   deliver an oration in grandiloquent style

   scan

   read metrically

   co-star

   be the co-star in a performance

   walk through

   perform in a perfunctory way, as for a first rehearsal

   scrimmage

   practice playing (a sport)

   sing

   deliver by singing

   pay

   render
3. verb

   get (something) done
   “I did my job”

   synonyms: perform

   types:

   overachieve

   perform better or achieve a greater degree of success than expected

   turn

   accomplish by rotating

   underachieve, underperform

   perform less well or with less success than expected

   misdo

   do wrongly or improperly

   do one's best, give full measure, give one's best, go all out

   perform a task as well as possible

   ply

   apply oneself diligently

   type of:

   accomplish, action, carry out, carry through, execute, fulfil, fulfill

   put in effect
4. verb

   carry out or practice; as of jobs and professions
   synonyms: exercise, practice, practise

   types:

   shamanise, shamanize

   practice shamanism
5. verb

   proceed or get along
   “How is she doing in her new job?”

   synonyms: come, fare, get along, make out

   type of:

   go, proceed

   follow a certain course
6. verb

   behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself
   synonyms: act, behave

   act, act as, play

   pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind

   act, dissemble, pretend

   behave unnaturally or affectedly

   types:

   act involuntarily, act reflexively

   act in an uncontrolled manner

   bend over backwards, fall over backwards

   try very hard to please someone

   presume

   take liberties or act with too much confidence

   vulgarise, vulgarize

   act in a vulgar manner

   optimise, optimize

   act as an optimist and take a sunny view of the world

   quack

   act as a medical quack or a charlatan

   menace

   act in a threatening manner

   make

   act in a certain way so as to acquire

   bluster, swagger, swash

   act in an arrogant, overly self-assured, or conceited manner

   freeze

   suddenly behave coldly and formally

   wanton

   behave extremely cruelly and brutally

   romanticize

   act in a romantic way

   sentimentalise, sentimentalize, sentimentise, sentimentize

   act in a sentimental way or indulge in sentimental thoughts or expression

   bungle

   spoil by behaving clumsily or foolishly

   play, toy

   engage in an activity as if it were a game rather than take it seriously

   act, act as, play

   pretend to have certain qualities or state of mind

   stooge

   act as a stooge, in a compliant or subordinate manner

   jest, joke

   act in a funny or teasing way

   piffle

   act in a trivial or ineffective way

   make

   behave in a certain way

   make as if

   begin or appear to begin an action

   break down, lose it, snap

   lose control of one's emotions

   dally, dawdle

   waste time

   backslap

   display excessive cordiality (towards)

   hugger mugger

   act stealthily or secretively

   sauce

   behave saucily or impudently towards

   footle

   act foolishly, as by talking nonsense

   frivol, trifle

   act frivolously

   puff up, swell

   become filled with pride, arrogance, or anger

   follow

   accept and follow the leadership or command or guidance of

   loosen up, relax

   become less tense, less formal, or less restrained, and assume a friendlier manner

   rage, ramp, storm

   behave violently, as if in state of a great anger

   sneeze

   exhale spasmodically, as when an irritant entered one's nose

   blink, nictate, nictitate, wink

   briefly shut the eyes

   fart

   expel intestinal gases through the anus

   salivate

   produce saliva

   antic, clown, clown around

   act as or like a clown

   dissolve

   lose control emotionally

   die

   be brought to or as if to the point of death by an intense emotion such as embarrassment, amusement, or shame

   fall apart, go to pieces

   lose one's emotional or mental composure
7. verb

   arrange attractively
   synonyms: arrange, coif, coiffe, coiffure, dress, set

   curry, dress, groom

   give a neat appearance to

   types:

   bob

   cut hair in the style of a bob

   wave

   set waves in

   marcel

   make a marcel in a woman's hair

   gauffer, goffer

   make wavy with a heated goffering iron

   perm

   give a permanent wave to

   type of:

   groom, neaten

   care for one's external appearance
8. verb

   give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally
   synonyms: cause, make

   types:

   determine, influence, mold, regulate, shape

   shape or influence; give direction to

   initiate, pioneer

   take the lead or initiative in; participate in the development of

   effect, effectuate, set up

   produce

   make

   compel or make somebody or something to act in a certain way

   occasion

   give occasion to

   call forth, evoke, kick up, provoke

   evoke or provoke to appear or occur

   breed, engender, spawn

   call forth

   actuate, incentivize, incite, motivate, move, prompt, propel

   give an incentive for action

   force, impel

   urge or force (a person) to an action; constrain or motivate

   facilitate

   increase the likelihood of (a response)

   dispose, incline

   make receptive or willing towards an action or attitude or belief

   disincline, indispose

   make unwilling

   miscreate

   shape or form or make badly

   carry weight

   have influence to a specified degree

   decide

   influence or determine

   reshape

   shape anew or differently

   time

   set the speed, duration, or execution of

   index

   adjust through indexation

   pace

   regulate or set the pace of

   predetermine

   determine beforehand

   accomplish, action, carry out, carry through, execute, fulfil, fulfill

   put in effect

   strike up

   begin

   innovate, introduce

   bring something new to an environment

   draw, get

   earn or achieve a base by being walked by the pitcher

   activate, actuate, set off, spark, spark off, touch off, trigger, trigger off, trip

   put in motion or move to act

   precipitate

   bring about abruptly

   hasten, induce, rush, stimulate

   cause to occur rapidly

   drive

   compel somebody to do something, often against his own will or judgment

   inspire

   supply the inspiration for

   pick

   provoke

   constitute, establish, found, institute, plant

   set up or lay the groundwork for

   arrange, stage

   plan, organize, and carry out (an event)

   mount

   put up or launch

   attempt, set about, undertake

   enter upon an activity or enterprise

   devise, get up, machinate, organise, organize, prepare

   arrange by systematic planning and united effort

   serve

   contribute or conduce to

   type of:

   create, make

   make or cause to be or to become
9. verb

   create or design, often in a certain way
   “Do my room in blue”

   “I did this piece in wood to express my love for the forest”

   synonyms: make

   type of:

   create, make

   create by artistic means
10. verb

    spend time in prison or in a labor camp
    “He did six years for embezzlement”

    synonyms: serve

    types:

    admit

    serve as a means of entrance

    type of:

    pass, spend

    pass time in a specific way
11. verb

    travel or traverse (a distance)
    “This car does 150 miles per hour”

    “We did 6 miles on our hike every day”

    type of:

    go, locomote, move, travel

    change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
12. verb

    be sufficient; be adequate, either in quality or quantity
    “Will $100 do?”

    synonyms: answer, serve, suffice

    types:

    bridge over, keep going, tide over

    suffice for a period between two points

    go a long way

    suffice or be adequate for a while or to a certain extent

    function, serve

    serve a purpose, role, or function

    measure up, qualify

    prove capable or fit; meet requirements

    go around

    be sufficient

    prelude

    serve as a prelude or opening to

    act as

    function as or act like

    type of:

    fulfil, fulfill, live up to, satisfy

    meet the requirements or expectations of
13. verb

    carry on or function
    “We could do with a little more help around here”

    synonyms: manage
14. noun

    an uproarious party
    synonyms: bash, brawl

    type of:

    party

    an occasion on which people can assemble for social interaction and entertainment