1 B2 informal
To clean or tidy a room or cupboard thoroughly. (British informal)
"I spent Saturday doing out the spare bedroom ready for the guests."
separable
do out
B2 informal separable transitive
To clean or redecorate a room thoroughly; or to cheat someone out of something they are entitled to. (British English)
In plain English
To clean a room completely, or to unfairly take something away from someone.
What does "do out" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic informal
To cheat or deprive someone of something they deserve. Used as 'do someone out of something'. (British informal)
"His business partner did him out of thousands of pounds by falsifying the accounts."
separable
3 B2 informal
To decorate or furnish a space in a particular style. (British informal)
"They did out the dining room in a minimalist Scandinavian style."
separable
Usage tip
Primarily British English. The cleaning sense is common in domestic contexts. The cheating sense — 'do someone out of something' — is also British and means to deprive someone of something unfairly. Learners should note the preposition 'of' in the cheating sense.
Words that pair with "do out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
room cupboard kitchen inheritance money job
How to conjugate "do out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
do out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
does out
he/she/it
Past simple
did out
yesterday
Past participle
done out
have + pp
-ing form
doing out
continuous
Hear "do out" in the wild
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