do duty

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Having reached Safeway with no fatalities, Stassin and I ordered our respective Loomos to trail us, so that they could do duty as shopping carts.

From The New Yorker • Nov. 19, 2018

Can Chang do duty on The Times' editorial pages?

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 29, 2017

Jones' Ospreys back-up Craig Mitchell, James and John Yapp are candidates to do duty on the tight-head of the scrum during the tournament.

From BBC • Jan. 20, 2011

Only one of the 1829 crew seems to have remained to do duty in this race.

From Boating by Woodgate, W. B.

The word, in fact, is made by public speakers of "unadorned eloquence" and newspaper writers, to do duty for such words as to refuse, repel, reject, abandon, disown, cast off.

From Notes and Queries, Vol. IV, Number 91, July 26, 1851 A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc. by Various