do the room— 1. clean the room: At this studio there is a femme de menage that does your room. 2. (also: do up the room) decorate or furnish the room: The paper-hanger who did this room, has done it very well. make room—allow enough free space: She had moved both cups off the tray […]
Category: Confusing Phrases
Difference between Do the dishes and Make the dishes
do the dishes— 1. (U.S.) wash the plates, etc. after a meal: Why am I always the one who has to do the dishes? 2. cook meals: They also wanted to know how to do these dishes themselves. That’s what started her small cooking studio. make the dishes—do the dishes 2: The women teach their […]
Difference between Do the dirties with someone and Do the dirty on someone
do the dirties with someone—(sl.) have sex with a person: You just don’t understand that Sean and I are just friends. I don’t plan on doing the dirties with him. do the dirty on someone —(coll.) do smth. bad and unfair to a person (also: do dirt to someone): The Germans have been “doing the […]
Difference between Do something up and Make something up
do something up— 1. (of clothes) fasten; button up: You’ve done your buttons up the wrong way. 2. wrap smth.: The presents were all done up in shiny paper and put under the Christmas tree. 3. (of hair) arrange: Will you help me to do up my hair? 4. make smth. attractive or improve smth.: […]
Difference between Do something standing on one’s head and Stand on one’s head doing something
do something standing on one’s head—(coll.) do smth. very easily or without effort (also: do something on one’s head): The climb he wanted me to attempt was a simple one. At Cambridge I could have done it standing on my head. stand on one’s head doing something—(coll.) do everything possible; do all in one’s power: […]
Difference between Do something over and Overdo something
do something over— 1. repeat an action; do smth. again: Also, if I could do the paper over, I would remove the word “controversy.” 2. remodel or redecorate smth.: We ought to keep this as the spare room and do the nursery over. overdo something— 1. carry smth. to excess; do too much: With the […]
Difference between Do something out of hand and Put something out of hand
do something out of hand—do smth. immediately, without delay or preparation: Newspapers reject this kind of writing out of hand for fear of offending advertisers. put something out of hand—accomplish smth.; no longer deal with smth.: He has been indefatigable … whereby he has caused much work to be put out of hand.
Difference between Do something blindfolded and Do something sight unseen
do something blindfolded —(also: do something with one’s eyes closed) do smth. very easily, without much effort: Flying this thing is so easy I can do it blindfolded! do something sight unseen—do or make up one’s mind about smth. without having previously seen it: They bought the house sight unseen, working out the details by […]
Difference between Do someone well and Do well by someone
do someone well— 1. (of a hotel, etc.) provide a high quality service: Kensington is only a small place, they do you well there, and it’s always full…. 2. (followed by Infinitive) be welladvised to act in a particular way: It will do you well to learn these things before you choose a career or […]
Difference between Do someone up and Make someone up
do someone up —(coll.) 1. make a person look attractive; dress smb. up for the party, etc.: It’s not the actress herself I’m calling unattractive, but the way they “did her up.” 2. get the better of smb.; ruin a person financially: There was a pleasure in doing up a debtor which none but a […]
Difference between Do someone proud and Make someone proud
do someone proud— 1. treat a person extremely well; extend lavish hospitality: They always do us proud whenever we go to have a meal with them. 2. give a person cause for pride; justify smb.’s pride: Jim’s success in the examinations did his family proud. make someone proud — = do someone proud 2: Perhaps […]
Difference between Do someone out of something Outdo someone
do someone out of something—(coll.) 1. cheat smb. out of his possessions: He set up some kind of business deal with a partner and his partner did him out of most of his money. 2. prevent a person from doing or having smth.: He can tell you a story for over an hour about how […]