do in
B1 informal separable transitive
In simple words
To make someone extremely tired, hurt, or — in strong slang — to kill someone.
Meanings
1 B1
idiomatic
informal
To completely exhaust someone.
"That ten-mile hike absolutely did me in — I slept for twelve hours."
Grammar: separable
2 B2
idiomatic
informal
To kill someone. (Informal)
"The detective suspected the business partner had done the old man in for the inheritance."
Grammar: separable
3 B1
idiomatic
informal
To injure a part of the body.
"He did his knee in during the first game of the season."
Grammar: separable
Usage notes
Very common in British English. In everyday speech, most commonly means to exhaust ('that run did me in'). The 'kill' sense is informal and often appears in crime fiction. Can also mean to injure a body part.
Commonly used with
back knee run exertion victim himself
Forms
Base
do in
I/you/we/they
3rd person
does in
he/she/it
Past simple
did in
yesterday
Past participle
done in
have + pp
-ing form
doing in
continuous
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Synonyms
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