Emily Dickinson Lexicon

DO, v.t. [or auxiliary; pret. did; pp. done, pronounced dun. This verb, when transitive, is formed in the indicative, present tense, thus, I do, thou doest, he does or doth; when auxiliary, the second person is, thou dost. Sax. don; D. doen; G. thun; Goth. tauyan; Russ. deyu or dayu. This is probably a contracted word, for in Saxon dohte signifies made or did, as if the pret. of this verb. If the elements are dg, it coincides in elements with Sax. dugan, to be able, and with teagan, to taw, as leather.]

1. To perform; to execute; to carry into effect; to exert labor or power for bringing any thing to the state desired, or to completion; or to bring any thing to pass. We say, this man does his work well; he does more in one day than some men will do in two days. In six days thou shalt do all thy work. – Ex. xx. I will teach you what ye shall do. – Ex iv. I the Lord do all these things. – Is. xiv.
2. To practice; to perform; as, to do good or evil.
3. To perform for the benefit or injury of another; with for or to; for, when the thing is beneficial; to, in either case. Till I know what God will do for me. – 1 Sam. xxii. Do to him neither good nor evil. But to is more generally omitted. Do him neither good nor harm.
4. To execute; to discharge; to convey; as, do a message to the king.
5. To perform; to practice; to observe. We lie and do not the truth. – 1 John i.
6. To exert. Do thy diligence to come shortly to me. – 2 Tim. iv.
7. To transact; as, to do business with another.
8. To finish; to execute or transact and bring to a conclusion. The sense of completion is often implied in this verb; as, we will do the business and adjourn; we did the business and dined.
9. To perform in an exigency; to have recourse to, as a consequential or last effort; to take a step or measure; as, in this crisis we know not what to do. What will ye do in the day of visitation? – Is. x.
10. To make or cause. Nothing but death can do me to respire. [Obs.] – Spenser.
11. To put. [Obs.] Who should do the duke to death? – Shak.
12. To answer the purpose. I'll make the songs of Durfey do. To have to do, to have concern with. What have I to do with you? – 2 Sam. xvi. What have I to do any more with idols? – Hos. xiv. To do with, to dispose of; to make use of; to employ. Commerce is dull; we know not what to do with our ships. Idle men know not what to do with their time or with themselves. Also, to gain; to effect by influence. A jest with a sad brow will do with a fellow who never had the ache in his shoulders. – Shak. I can do nothing with this obstinate fellow. – Anon. Also, to have concern with; to have business; to deal. [See No. 12.] To do away, to remove; to destroy; as, to do away imperfections; to do away prejudices.