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