ladies have been dispensing tea to hungry comrades. 2. prepare and give out medicine: The firm has been dispensing oint- ments and lotions for generations. dispense with something—1. do without smth.; manage in spite of not having smth.: He is not yet well enough to dis - pense with the doctor’s services. 2. render smth. unnecessary: The new machinery dispenses with hand labor. dispute about something • dispute something dispute about something—argue about smth: There is no time to dispute about the forms of education. dispute something —1. question the truth or validity of smth.: We never disputed his right to build a home on land he had purchased. 2. contest smth.; fight for smth.: Our team dis - puted the victory until the last minute of the game. distinguished by something • distinguished for something distinguished by something—marked or characterized by some quality: The army is divided into eight divisions, dis - tinguished by the color of their respective flag. distinguished for something—remarkable for some (usually superior) quality, attainment, etc.: John Augustus Walker, an Alabama artist, was distinguished for his paintings and mu- rals. Divine Office • Holy Office, the Divine Office—the prayers and readings in the services held in the Roman Catholic Church: She was troubled, distracted in meditation … when the other sisters were chanting Divine Office . Holy Office, the—1. (hist.) the Inquisition: It may seem strange that the spread of the reformed religion should so long have escaped the Holy Office . 2. a Roman Catholic adminis- trative organ that deals with protection of the faith and morals: We even went to Rome…. We were promised a formal answer from the Holy Office . do a bit • do one’s bit do a bit—1. perform a small part in a play or movie: I got to do a bit with Mick Jagger where he comes into a dressing room and looks in the mirror…. 2. practice smth. in a small way: In my spare time I always want to do something “cre- ative,” so I choose to do a bit of carpentering. do one’s bit—1. fulfill one’s responsibilities or obligations: During the epidemic he did his bit with the other physicians, attending cases night and day. 2. make one’s contribution to the war effort (serving in the armed forces, etc.): Yes we did our bit , as you folks say. I’ll tell the world we got the enemy on the run. do a book • make a book do a book—1. write a book: We all have our weaknesses. Mine just happens to be any comic book done by David Mack. 2. translate a book: I know that most of his books have been done into English. 3. (U.S. Underworld) suffer the maximum penalty; serve a life-time sentence: I’m doing one life jolt, and two one-to-fiftys … yes sir, doing the book . make a book —1. create a book: Mr. White might have made a whole book out of being a city man on a farm. 2. (Bookmak- ers) accept bets on contests: Adelaide bookies can only make a book based upon the horses that are backed in a race. do a book on something • make a book on something do a book on something—write a book on a subject: William Fox is doing a book on the way the environment impacts our evolution and perception. Note: The expression does not fully correlate in meaning with the phrase write the book on something—1. = do a book on something: Because I had developed a big respect for Perret when he wrote the book on Grant, I read his book on President Kennedy. 2. (U.S. coll.) be the expert or the final authority on smth.: Cathy has spent years learning the intricacies of pro- ducing prize-winning Dalmatians. You could even say she wrote the book on it… make a book on something—1. create a book on smth.: We thought if we’re going to make a book on cooking, it ought to benefit people who could use more food. 2. (Bookmakers) take bets on certain contests: Bookmakers do as their name suggests, that is they make a book on the outcome of an event. 3. (coll.) be certain of smth.; feel confident about smth.: “Do you think they’ll be funnier in print than they were on TV?” “I wouldn’t make a book on it!” Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase make a book of something—represent a particular sort of book: The letters of Lord Chesterfield make a book of the minor moralities, and the major immoralities of life. do a house • make a house do a house—tidy or clean the house: One day I did the house thoroughly, totally, and my Dad’s closet was really messy, so I tidied it. Note: The expression is not equivalent in meaning to the phrase do up a house—repair or improve the house: It was really worth the pain we took to do up the house . On the advise of our agent we renovated the house and gave it a fine look. make a house—(Parliament) secure the presence of enough members for a quorum (also: keep a house): Yesterday, after many days waiting, sufficient number of members met and made a house . Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase make a home—1. establish or run a home: He asked her how big her roll was, saying that it cost something to make a home . 2. (also: make one’s home) settle in a place (with one’s family): She has made a home in the Bay Area, where she now teaches Italian cooking and language. do a job • do the job do a job—(Underworld) commit a robbery or a burglary: The two were engaged “doing a job ” at a lonely place when two mounted patrols came upon them. do the job —(also: do the business) accomplish one’s purpose; achieve the desired result: I don’t care what you use, as long as it does the job . do a job on someone • do the job for someone do a job on someone—(sl.) 1. treat smb. roughly; injure or harm a person: There’s no need to do a job on me , man, I’ll tell you everything I know. 2. (also: do a snow job on someone) take advantage of a person, especially by persuasion or decep- tion: My local friendly plumber did a job on me cleaning out my drain. do the job for someone—(also: do the business for someone) ac- complish one’s purpose; achieve the desired result: When he couldn’t get whiskey he would drink lemon or vanilla extract. It was mostly alcohol, so it did the job for him . do a moonlight • moonlight do a moonlight—(coll.) secretly move from a flat (under the cover of night) usually to avoid paying the rent: The tenant had done a “moonlight ” with no warning even though the lease still had many months to run. moonlight—(coll.) work (often illegally) at a second job in addition to one’s main job: Sasquatch is a tractor-trailer driver by day — by night, he moonlights as a musically inclined cigar distributor. Note: The compound does not correlate in meaning with the dispute about something – 98 –