do a job on

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Definition

Verb (phrasal verb): - To damage, ruin, or destroy something completely, often in a messy or thorough way. It implies causing significant harm that renders the object ugly or useless. - To perform a task on something, often with a negative connotation of botching or severely altering it.

Usage

This phrasal verb is informal and is typically used to describe an action that results in severe damage or a drastic, usually negative, change to an object. It often carries a tone of disappointment or frustration.

Examples
Advanced Usage
  • The phrase can sometimes be used hyperbolically or humorously to describe a situation where something has been changed or affected very strongly, not always literally destroyed.
    • The critics really did a job on his latest film, tearing it apart in their reviews. (Meaning: They severely criticized it.)
Variants and Related Words
  • Job (noun): As used in this phrase, it refers to an instance of work, often with a negative outcome. The phrase "do a number on" is a very close synonym with identical meaning and usage.
  • Wreck (verb): To destroy or ruin completely.
  • Ruin (verb): To spoil or destroy severely.
Synonyms
  • Wreck
  • Ruin
  • Destroy
  • Trash (informal)
  • Do a number on (informal, nearly identical)
Related Phrasal Verbs
  • Do over: To do again, often because the first attempt was poor. (Different meaning, but shares the verb "do").
  • Do in (informal): To kill or exhaust. (Shares the sense of causing an extreme negative effect).
Related Idioms
  • Make a mess of: To handle something badly, resulting in a poor outcome.
  • Tear apart: To criticize or damage severely.
Verb
  1. destroy completely or make ugly or useless
    • The dog did a job on my pillow
    • The seamstress did a job on my wedding gown