do duty as

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

A truism must do duty as my first sentence.

From Life of John Keats by Rossetti, William Michael

This drum had to do duty as cooking-pot.

From Through Shot and Flame The Adventures and Experiences of J. D. Kestell Chaplain to President Steyn and General Christian De Wet by Kestell, J. D. (John Daniel)

Beside it lay an absurd 72 bit of crumpled, tear-soaked embroidery that had been intended to do duty as a handkerchief but had evidently proved quite unseaworthy.

From Robinetta by McAulay, Allan

We can't fetch bricks from the other end, and I draw the line at timber to do duty as bricks.

From Scamping Tricks and Odd Knowledge Occasionally Practised upon Public Works by Newman, John Henry