Useful English Word or Phrase to Boost Your English

Do One

What does it mean?

Quick summary: A blunt British slang phrase telling someone to go away.

Do one is a blunt, informal British way of telling someone to go away — sharper and less playful than 'jog on'.

REAL WORDS.
REAL ENGLISH.
Native UK character with a collection of useful English phrases

Is it positive or negative?

Negative. It's dismissive and can come across as rude depending on tone.

When do you use it?

Use it (carefully) to tell someone forcefully to leave you alone — mostly among close friends, otherwise it can sound properly rude.

Examples

Example 1: He wouldn't stop pestering me, so I told him to do one.

Example 2: "Lend us a tenner?" "Do one."

NOW MAKE IT YOURS

Question for you

Is there a phrase in your language as blunt as 'do one'?

Try saying your answer aloud, using the expression.

Practise it in a lesson

Know When to Be Direct in English (and When Not To)

Knowing exactly how blunt a phrase like this really sounds takes real cultural context — that's where a British native speaker helps. My online English lessons cover tone as well as vocabulary. Book a lesson here.

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