do, v.i.

[Ronald Butters]

Do unto others before they do unto you.

Do as I might, I could not do enough.

Still, I might have done.

On Jan 17, 2011, at 9:00 AM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:

> At the memorial service for Richard Holbrooke last week, Pres. Clinton
> observed that "I loved the guy because he could do — doing in diplomacy
> saves lives."  He added, "He could do and do."
>
> This reminds me of the Witch in Macbeth who says, "I'll do and I'll do and
> I'll do."  But many things remind me of the Witches n Macbeth.
>
> The point is that that this usage, which Clinton may or may not have picked
> up from the Witches, is something I can't recall ever hearing it in natural,
> contemporary speech.  The OED entry on "do" is so daunting that I haven't
> checked adequately for its latest ex..The sense is sonething like "to carry
> out one's intentions with effect; take effective action"
>
> JL
> --
> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org