do, v.i.

[Paul Frank]

Dobedobedo.

On Mon, Jan 17, 2011 at 5:17 PM, Dave Wilton <dave at wilton.net> wrote:
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> Sender: Â  Â  Â  American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster: Â  Â  Â  Dave Wilton <dave at WILTON.NET>
> Subject: Â  Â  Â Re: do, v.i.
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Those who cannot do, teach.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of
> Ronald Butters
> Sent: Monday, January 17, 2011 10:17 AM
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: Re: do, v.i.
>
> 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." Â 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." Â 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. Â 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

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