- do
- I [[t]də, STRONG duː[/t]]
AUXILIARY VERB USES
♦(Do is used as an auxiliary with the simple present tense. Did is used as an auxiliary with the simple past tense. In spoken English, negative forms of do are often shortened, for example do not is shortened to don't and did not is shortened to didn't.)1) AUX Do is used to form the negative of main verbs, by putting `not' after `do' and before the main verb in its infinitive form, that is the form without `to'.
[AUX neg inf] They don't want to work...
[AUX neg inf] I did not know Jamie had a knife...
[AUX neg inf] It doesn't matter if you win or lose.
2) AUX Do is used to form questions, by putting the subject after `do' and before the main verb in its infinitive form, that is the form without `to'.[AUX n v] Do you like music?...
[AUX n v] What did he say?...
[AUX n v] Where does she live?
3) AUX Do is used in question tags.[cl AUX n] You know about Andy, don't you?...
[cl AUX n] I'm sure they had some of the same questions last year didn't they?
4) AUX You use do when you are confirming or contradicting a statement containing `do', or giving a negative or positive answer to a question.[AUX] `Did he think there was anything suspicious going on?' - `Yes, he did.'...
[AUX] `Do you have a metal detector?' - `No, I don't.'...
[AUX] They say they don't care, but they do.
5) AUX: only imper Do is used with a negative to tell someone not to behave in a certain way.[AUX neg inf] Don't be silly...
[AUX neg inf] Don't touch that!
6) AUX (emphasis) Do is used to give emphasis to the main verb when there is no other auxiliary.[AUX inf] Veronica, I do understand...
[AUX inf] You did have a tape recorder with you.
7) AUX: only imper (politeness) Do is used as a polite way of inviting or trying to persuade someone to do something.[AUX inf] Do sit down...
[AUX inf] Do help yourself to another drink.
8) VERB Do can be used to refer back to another verb group when you are comparing or contrasting two things, or saying that they are the same.I make more money than he does...
One day she will walk out, just as her own mother did...
[as V n] I had fantasies, as do all mothers, about how life would be when my girls were grown...
[than V n] Girls receive less health care and less education in the developing world than do boys.
9) VERB You use do after `so' and `nor' to say that the same statement is true for two people or groups.[V n] You know that's true, and so do I...
[V n] We don't forget that. Nor does he...
II [[t]du͟ː[/t]] OTHER VERB USES[V n] Her actions and thoughts became distorted. So did her behavior.
♦(do is used in a large number of expressions which are explained under other words in the dictionary. For example, the expression `easier said than done' is explained at `easy'.)1) VERB When you do something, you take some action or perform an activity or task. Do is often used instead of a more specific verb, to talk about a common action involving a particular thing. For example you can say `do your teeth' instead of `brush your teeth'.[V n] I was trying to do some work...
[V n] After lunch Elizabeth and I did the washing up...
[V n] Dad does the garden...
[V n] Let me do your hair.
2) VERB Do can be used to stand for any verb group, or to refer back to another verb group, including one that was in a previous sentence.[V n] What are you doing?...
[V n] So tell me what this molecule does that makes it special...
[V pron-indef] Think twice before doing anything...
[V it] A lot of people got arrested for looting so they will think before they do it again...
[V this] After the meal I said I would go up to bed. I often did this because they would drink port wine and stay up very late...
[V that] The first thing is to get some more food. When we've done that we ought to start again...
[V the same] Brian counted to twenty and lifted his binoculars. Elena did the same...
[V so] He turned towards the open front door but, as he did so, she pushed past him.
3) VERB (emphasis) You can use do in a clause at the beginning of a sentence after words like `what' and `all', to give special emphasis to the information that comes at the end of the sentence.[V n] All she does is complain...
[V n] What I should do is go and see her...
[V n] The best that can be done is to make things as difficult as possible.
4) VERB If you do a particular thing with something, you use it in that particular way.[V n with n] I was allowed to do whatever I wanted with my life...
[V n with n] What did he do with the thirty pounds?...
[V amount with n] The technology was good, but you couldn't do much with it.
5) VERB If you do something about a problem, you take action to try to solve it.[V n about n] Well, what are you going to do about it?...
[V n about n] Sexual harassment, that's against the law. Something should be done about it...
[V amount about n] In an ordinary aircraft, if an engine packs in, there's not much the engineer can do about it until the plane is back on the ground.
6) VERB If an action or event does a particular thing, such as harm or good, it has that result or effect.[V n] A few bombs can do a lot of damage...
[V n n] It'll do you good to take a rest...
[V n n] The publicity did her career no harm.
7) VERB You can use do to talk about the degree to which a person, action, or event affects or improves a particular situation.[V amount to-inf] The current reforms will do much to create these conditions...
[V amount to-inf] They did everything they could to help us...
[V amount to-inf] He said that the opposition had done everything possible to sabotage the elections...
[V amount for n] Such incidents do nothing for live music's reputation...
[V n for n] I'd just tried to do what I could for Lou.
8) VERB You can talk about what someone or something does to a person to mean that they have a very harmful effect on them.[V to n] I saw what the liquor was doing to her...
[V to n] You overlook the pressure you're under and what it does to you.
9) VERB If you ask someone what they do, you want to know what their job or profession is.[V n] `What does your father do?' - `Well, he's a civil servant.'...
[V n] He knew what he wanted to do from the age of 14.
10) VERB If you are doing something, you are busy or active in some way, or have planned an activity for some time in the future.[V n] Are you doing anything tomorrow night?...
[V n] `What are you doing for Christmas?' Ella asked. `We're going to Aunt Molly's.'...
[V n] Once the novelty of watching TV and videos all day has worn off, there is nothing to do.
11) VERB If you say that someone or something does well or badly, you are talking about how successful or unsuccessful they are.[V adv] Connie did well at school and graduated with honours...
[V adv] Out-of-town superstores are doing well...
[V adv] How did I do?
12) VERB If a person or organization does a particular service or product, they provide that service or sell that product. [mainly BRIT][V n] They provide design services and do printing and packaging...
[V n] They do a good range of herbal tea.
13) VERB You can use do when referring to the speed or rate that something or someone achieves or is able to achieve.[V amount] They were doing 70 miles an hour...
[V amount] His catamaran will do 37 knots.
14) VERB If you do a subject, author, or book, you study them at school or college. [SPOKEN][V n] I'd like to do maths at university...
`So you did `Macbeth' in the first year?' - `No, in the first year we did `Julius Caesar'.'
15) VERB If you do a particular person, accent, or role, you imitate that person or accent, or act that role.[V n] Gina does accents extremely well.
16) VERB You can use do to say that you are able or unable to behave in a particular way. [INFORMAL][V adj] `Can't you be nicer to your sister?' - `Nice? I don't do nice'.
17) VERB If someone does drugs, they take illegal drugs.[V n] I don't do drugs...
[V n] I saw him doing ecstasy in the toilets.
18) VERB If you say that something will do or will do you, you mean that there is enough of it or that it is of good enough quality to meet your requirements or to satisfy you.Anything to create a scene and attract attention will do...
We need a win - a draw won't do at all...
[V n] `I don't know what you like to eat,' she said, smiling. - `Anything'll do me, Eva.'
19) PHRASE: V inflects, PHR n/-ing If you say that you could do with something, you mean that you need it or would benefit from it.I could do with a cup of tea...
The range could do with being extended.
20) PHRASE: V inflects, PHR n You can ask someone what they did with something as another way of asking them where they put it.What did you do with that notebook?
21) PHRASE: PHR adv/prep If you ask what someone or something is doing in a particular place, you are asking why they are there.`Dr Campbell,' he said, clearly surprised. `What are you doing here?'...
What was he doing in Hyde Park at that time of the morning?
22) CONVENTION If you say that will do to a child, you are telling them to stop behaving in the way that they are.23) PHRASE: have/be inflects, PHR n If you say that one thing has something to do with or is something to do with another thing, you mean that the two things are connected or that the first thing is about the second thing.Mr Butterfield denies having anything to do with the episode...
They were shouting at each other. It was something to do with money...
That's none of your business, it has nothing to do with you...
A lot of this has to do with power and greed.
Phrasal Verbs:- do down- do for- do in- do out- do over- do upIII [[t]du͟ː[/t]] NOUN USES1) N-COUNT A do is a party, dinner party, or other social event. [mainly BRIT, INFORMAL]A friend of his is having a do in Stoke...
They always have all-night dos there.
2) PHRASE If someone tells you the dos and don'ts of a particular situation, they advise you what you should and should not do in that situation.Please advise me on the most suitable colour print film and some dos and don'ts.
English dictionary. 2008.
