Emily Dickinson Lexicon

DID, v. [pret. of Do, contracted from doed. I did, thou didst, he did; we did, you or ye did, they did.]

Have ye not read what David did when be was hungry? – Matth. xii. The proper signification is, made, executed, performed; but it is used also to express the state of health. And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to know how Esther did. – Esth. ii. Did is used as the sign of the past tense of verbs, particularly in interrogative and negative sentences; as, did he command you to go. He did not command me. It is also used to express emphasis; as, I did love him beyond measure.