do right by someone • put someone right do right by someone—treat smb. fairly in moral or legal terms: I oppose this bill because it does not do right by our disabled veterans. put someone right—(also: put someone to rights) 1. make smb. well again: Since there is nothing wrong with him really, a placebo will put him right . 2. correct smb.’s ideas or informa- tion about smth.: His ignorance of the world is not abnormal for an American … his advisors will put him right on foreign affairs. do someone credit • give someone credit do someone credit—(of smb.’s action or behavior) add to a per- son’s reputation (also: do someone honor): Your obvious sincer- ity does you credit and I may owe you an apology. give someone credit—1. praise a person for his behavior or some good quality: He gave my father the real information and my father always gave him credit . 2. trust a customer to pay at some future time what he owes: Everybody is eager to give me credit —I get new credit card offers in the mail all the time. do someone honor • do the honors do someone honor—1. pay deserved tribute to a person: Twenty heads of state attended the Queen’s coronation to do her honor . 2. (of smb.’s action or behavior) add to a person’s reputation (also: do someone credit): Her behavior in such a difficult situation does her honor . do the honors—act as the host; serve one’s guests: You do the honors and pour out the tea while I bring in the cakes. do someone in the eye • hit someone in the eye do someone in the eye—(sl.) cheat or defraud a person: He handed her a gold chain of curious workmanship. “Unless I’ve been done in the eye it’s an old one.” hit someone in the eye—1. make a strong impact on smb.: I drove about in a smart red-wheeled coach. Anyhow, it hit my colleagues badly in the eye . 2. give a person a shock: Modern young men’s manners now really quite hit you in the eye . 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 part- ner and his partner did him out of most of his money. 2. pre- vent a person from doing or having smth.: He can tell you a story for over an hour about how someone did him out of a job twenty years ago. outdo someone—do more or better than another person in performance or action: Prejudiced attitudes motivated Miles to outdo his classmates and excel as a musician. do someone proud • 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 a sud- den tract of good fortune would have made me too proud. do someone up • 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 creditor could know. 3. (UK, usually Passive) wear out a person: We have been working continuously now…. The stretcher-bearers are done up com- pletely. Note: The expression is not antonymous in meaning to the phrase do someone down—(UK coll.) 1. defeat smb. (often by unfair means): Mr. Stothard was using the Times to advance his own interests and do down his enemy. 2. speak ill of a per- son: No doubt the whispering voices praised him to the heav- ens while also doing down his opponents. make someone up—(of an actor, etc.) apply cosmetics to a person’s face: The General was close upon eighty; but he was “made up ” to represent a gentleman of about forty. do someone well • 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 well- advised to act in a particular way: It will do you well to learn these things before you choose a career or job. do well by someone—treat a person with loving kindness: Soon after this the boy was transferred to another home, where a childless couple are trying to do well by him. See also: do good to someone / do someone good. do something blindfolded • 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 phone and fax. do something out of hand • 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 . do something over • 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 “con- troversy.” 2. remodel or redecorate smth.: We ought to keep this as the spare room and do the nursery over . overdo something1. carry smth. to excess; do too much: With the zeal of a new convert he overdid matters. 2. cook food too much: Don’t overdo the meat. When the peppers are soft, taste the mixture to see if it needs anything. See also: make over something / make something over. do something standing on one’s head • 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 Cam- bridge 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: He stood on his head trying to explain to her why he was so late, but she still didn’t believe him. do something up • 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.: We shall have to do up the house next spring. 5. (of fruit, etc.) – 101 – do something up