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

But we are familiar with such processes in ordinary spelling, making the same letter do duty for different sounds, as a in the words as, ale, ask, and all.

From Finger Prints by Galton, Francis, Sir

His friendship with Radicati, a man of liberal opinions, occasioned Frisi’s removal by his clerical superiors to Novara, where he was compelled to do duty as a preacher.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 2 "French Literature" to "Frost, William" by Various