do someone one better

verb

To do more than somebody asked for or expected.

“- Could you drive me to the station please? - I'll do you one better and lend you my car keys: you can drive yourself anywhere.”

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Meanings

verbdo someone one better (third-person singular simple present does someone one better, present participle doing someone one better, simple past did someone one better, past participle done someone one better)

present singular third person does someone one better · participle present doing someone one better · past did someone one better · participle past done someone one better

  1. colloquialidiomaticTo do more than somebody asked for or expected.

    - Could you drive me to the station please? - I'll do you one better and lend you my car keys: you can drive yourself anywhere.

Cite this entry
APA

do someone one better. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/do%20someone%20one%20better

MLA

“do someone one better.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/do%20someone%20one%20better. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “do someone one better,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/do%20someone%20one%20better.

Source: do someone one better on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.