DO

verb [T ] A1 (do-did-done) • synonyms: perform, carry out, execute • do something; do homework/work/exercise; do a favor • what are you doing?; I need to do...; she does... • freq in AmE (this meaning): 10/10

(PERFORM ACTION) to perform, carry out, or execute an action or activity

verb [T ] A2 (do-did-done) • synonyms: work in, study, practice • do something for a living; do marketing/law/research • what do you do?; I do...; she's doing... • freq in AmE (this meaning): 10/10

(WORK/STUDY) to work in a particular field or study a particular subject

verb [I usually + adverb ] B1 (do-did-done) • synonyms: get along, fare, perform, manage • how is someone doing; how did you do? • do well; do all right; do OK; do badly; do well for yourself • freq in AmE (this meaning): 10/10

(MANAGE) to develop or continue with the stated amount of success

verb [T ] A2 (do-did-done) • synonyms: handle, take care of, deal with • do the dishes/laundry/cleaning; do something about... • freq in AmE (this meaning): 10/10

(DEAL WITH) to deal with, handle, or take care of something

auxiliary verb A1 • uses: questions, negatives, emphasis • do/does/did + base verb • do you...?; I do want... • freq in AmE: 10/10 💡This is a grammatical function, not a meaning. "Do" has no meaning here - it's just helping form sentences.

(AUXILIARY) used as an auxiliary (helping) verb to form questions, negatives, and emphatic statements

verb [T ] B1 (do-did-done) • synonyms: cause, produce, bring about • do damage/harm/good • freq in AmE: 8/10 💡Often used with abstract nouns showing effects: do damage, do harm, do good, do wonders, do justice.

(CAUSE/PRODUCE) to cause, produce, or have an effect; to bring about a result (often damage or harm)

collocation with do verb [T ] A2 • synonyms: wash the dishes, wash up (British) • do the dishes after (meal); do the dishes every... • can you do the dishes?; I'll do the dishes; she does the dishes • freq in AmE: 10/10

to wash plates, cups, silverware, and cooking utensils after a meal

collocation with do verb [T ] A2 • synonyms: wash clothes, do laundry (without "the") • do the laundry on (day); do the laundry every... • need to do the laundry; I do the laundry; she does the laundry • freq in AmE: 10/10

to wash clothes, towels, and other fabric items

collocation with do verb [T ] A2 • synonyms: clean, clean the house • do the cleaning every (day); do the cleaning before... • I do the cleaning; who does the cleaning?; need to do the cleaning • freq in AmE: 9/10

to clean a house, apartment, or space; to perform cleaning tasks

collocation with do verb [T ] A2 • synonyms: go shopping, shop for groceries • do the shopping every (day); do the shopping on (day) • need to do the shopping; I do the shopping; she does the shopping • freq in AmE: 9/10

to buy groceries and household items; to go shopping for necessities

collocation with do verb [T ] A2 • synonyms: cook, prepare meals • do the cooking for (occasion/people); do all the cooking • I do the cooking; who does the cooking?; she does the cooking • freq in AmE: 8/10

to prepare meals; to be responsible for cooking food

collocation with do verb [I ] A2 • synonyms: succeed, perform well, fare well • do well on/in something; do well at (activity) • she did well; how did you do?; I hope you do well; the company is doing well • freq in AmE: 10/10

to succeed, perform successfully, or have good results; to be in good condition or health

collocation with do verb [I ] A2 • synonyms: perform poorly, fail, do poorly • do badly on/in something; do badly at (activity) • I did badly; the team did badly; you'll do badly if... • freq in AmE: 9/10

to perform poorly, fail, or have bad results; to not succeed

collocation with do verb [T ] A1 • do homework before/after...; do your/my/her homework • need to do homework; have you done your homework? • freq in AmE: 10/10💡"Do homework" (no article) is the standard form. NOT "do the homework" in general usage.

to complete school assignments and study tasks given to be done outside of class

collocation with do verb [T ] B1 • synonyms: conduct research, carry out research • do research on/into something; do research at (institution) • I'm doing research; she does research; need to do more research • freq in AmE: 9/10

to conduct systematic investigation or study to discover facts or information

collocation with do verb [I ] B1 • synonyms: conduct business, trade with, work with • do business with someone/a company • we do business with...; it's a pleasure doing business; refuse to do business • freq in AmE: 9/10

to engage in commercial transactions or trade with someone; to have a business relationship

collocation with do verb [T ] A2 • synonyms: complete a task, perform work, accomplish • do a job; do your job; do a good/great/terrible job • just do your job; she did a great job; I'm here to do a job • freq in AmE: 10/10

to complete a task or piece of work; to perform work duties 💡 Can mean: (1) complete a specific task, or (2) perform your work duties.

collocation with do verb [T ] A2 • synonyms: try your hardest, give it your all, put in maximum effort • do your/my/his/her best • just do your best; she always does her best; I did my best • freq in AmE: 10/10

to try as hard as you can; to put in maximum effort

collocation with do verb [T ] B1 • synonyms: cause damage, harm, destroy • do damage to something; do a lot of/serious damage • the storm did damage; don't do any damage; smoking does damage • freq in AmE: 9/10

to cause harm, injury, or destruction to something or someone

collocation with do verb [T ] B1 • synonyms: cause harm, hurt, injure • do harm to someone/something; do more harm than good • would never do harm; pollution does harm; didn't mean to do harm • freq in AmE: 9/10

to cause injury, hurt, or negative effects to someone or something

collocation with do verb [I/T ] B1 • synonyms: benefit, help, have a positive effect • do good for something/someone; do a lot of good • exercise does good; it does me good; volunteering does good • freq in AmE: 8/10

to have a positive effect or benefit; to help or improve a situation

collocation with do verb [I ] B2 • synonyms: work wonders, have amazing effects • do wonders for something/someone • does wonders for...; can do wonders; a good... does wonders • freq in AmE: 9/10

to have an amazingly positive effect; to produce remarkable improvements or results

collocation with do verb [T ] B2 • doesn't do justice to • this photo doesn't do you justice; the description doesn't do justice • freq in AmE: 8/10 💡Often used in negative: "doesn't do justice" meaning fails to represent adequately.

to represent, show, or treat something/someone fairly and adequately; to give proper recognition or representation

collocation with do verb [T ] A2 • synonyms: help someone, assist • do someone a favor; do me/you/him/her a favor • can you do me a favor?; could you do me a favor and...; she did me a favor • freq in AmE: 10/10

to perform a helpful action for someone; to help someone by doing something they ask

collocation with do verb [T ] A2 • freq in AmE: 9/10💡"Do yoga" is standard. For sports, "do sports" (general) or "do tennis/swimming" (specific) - though "play tennis" is also common for team/competitive sports.

to practice yoga or participate in sports activities

collocation with do verb [T ] B1 • synonyms: act ethically, act morally, make the right choice • do the right thing by (doing something) • you need to do the right thing; she always does the right thing; he did the right thing • freq in AmE: 10/10

to act morally or ethically; to make the correct or honorable choice in a situation

collocation with do verb [I ] B2 informal/slang • synonyms: serve time, serve a sentence, be in prison • do time for (crime); do X years' time • he did time; she's doing time; after doing time • freq in AmE: 7/10

(slang/informal) to serve a prison sentence; to be in jail

collocation with do verb [T ] A2 • synonyms: style your hair, fix your hair • get your hair done (at salon) • I love how you did your hair • freq in AmE: 10/10 💡"Get your hair done" specifically means going to a salon/hairdresser.

to style, arrange, or fix your hair; to make your hair look presentable or attractive

collocation with do verb [T ] A2 • synonyms: apply makeup, put on makeup • do your/my/her makeup • need to do my makeup; she's doing her makeup; learn to do makeup • freq in AmE: 10/10

to apply cosmetics to your face; to put on makeup

collocation with do verb [T ] A2 • synonyms: manicure your nails, paint your nails • do your/my/her nails; get your nails done (professional) • freq in AmE: 9/10 💡Can mean DIY at home or getting professional manicure/pedicure at a salon.

to manicure or care for your fingernails or toenails; to paint or groom your nails

collocation with do verb [T ] A2 • synonyms: solve a crossword, work on a crossword • do a crossword puzzle • she loves doing crosswords • freq in AmE: 9/10💡Americans say both "do a crossword" and "do a crossword puzzle." Both are equally common.

to solve or work on a crossword puzzle

collocation with do verb [T ] A2 • synonyms: work on a puzzle, assemble a puzzle, solve a puzzle • do puzzles; do a jigsaw puzzle • freq in AmE: 9/10💡"Do a puzzle" can mean jigsaw puzzle OR any type of puzzle/brain teaser depending on context.

to assemble a jigsaw puzzle or solve a puzzle/brain teaser

collocation with do verb [T ] A2 (plural sudokus - both acceptable) • synonyms: solve a sudoku, work on a sudoku • do sudokus/sudoku; do sudoku puzzles • I do a sudoku every...; she's doing a sudoku; do you like doing sudokus? • freq in AmE: 8/10

to solve or work on a sudoku puzzle (number placement puzzle)

collocation with do verb [T ] A2 • synonyms: take a quiz, complete a quiz • do quizzes; do a personality/trivia quiz • freq in AmE: 9/10💡Can mean formal test OR fun/informal online quiz. Context determines meaning.

to take or complete a quiz or test; to answer quiz questions

grammar pattern with do verb [T ] A2 • what can I do for you?; she did a lot for me; can you do something for me?; always doing things for... • freq in AmE: 10/10

to perform an action or provide a service that benefits another person; to help someone by doing something

grammar pattern with do verb [T ] A2 • I can't believe she did that to... • freq in AmE: 9/10💡Often implies negative actions or harm, though not always. "To" shows the recipient/victim of the action.

to perform an action that affects or impacts another person (often negative or harmful)

grammar pattern with do verb [T ] A2 • what are you going to do about...? • need to do something about...; should do something about...; must do something about... • freq in AmE: 10/10

to take action to address, fix, or deal with a problem or situation

grammar pattern with do verb [I ] A2 • what do you do for a living?; I do X for a living • she does... for a living; he does... for a living • freq in AmE: 10/10

to work in a particular profession or job to earn money; to make a living doing something

grammar pattern with do verb [I ] B1 • have got nothing to do with... • freq in AmE: 10/10 💡Can be "have nothing to do with" or "has got nothing to do with." Often used to deny involvement or assert irrelevance.

to be unrelated or unconnected to something; to have no involvement or association with something

grammar pattern with do verb [T ] B1 • what are you going to do with...?; I don't know what to do with... • what should I do with...?; she doesn't know what to do with... • freq in AmE: 9/10

to use, handle, or deal with something in a particular way; to take action involving something