make do

present singular third person makes do · participle present making do · participle past made do · past made do

1. idiomaticinformalintransitiveTo survive, get by (with), or use whatever is available (due to lack of resources).

   There is barely enough money, so we will have to make do with what we have.

   1 more example

   Pep Guardiola’s team will have to make do with the Premier League title whereas Liverpool will go into Friday’s draw because over the two legs they were more clinical during their spells of superiority.

   2018 April 10, Daniel Taylor, “Liverpool go through after Mohamed Salah stops Manchester City fightback”, in The Guardian (London)

2. informaltransitiveTo put into action.

   Make the movie do! (Put on the movie!)

   1 more example

   Brandon’s makin’ the grill do so we can get to eatin’.

3. informaltransitiveTo use for one's purpose something worn, defective, or intended for another purpose.

   It is not the same hide but we make it do. You work harder to make it into good leather and harder to make it into good shoes, and we get by.

   1920, George F. Johnson, “How Do You Suppose We Make a Success of Our Business?”, in American review of shoes and leather, volumes 35-38

   2 more examples

   A poor screw-driver is one of the most exasperating of poor tools, and a trial to one's patience and temper; besides, it is of little use attempting to "make it do," for it seldom will do.

   1902, Lina Beard with Adelia Belle Beard, What a girl can make and do: new ideas for work and play, page 7

   She had dozens of ways to make something ‘do’ for another week or month. Skillful with a needle, she could darn and re- darn our socks without making the heel or toe uncomfortably thick

   2005, Trevanian, The crazyladies of Pearl Street, page 65