Meanings
alternative that'll do
- idiomaticsaid to confirm that something is suitable in quantity or in a particular quality
“That will do me nicely,’ he told the others. ‘I don’t like crocodiles — too many teeth.’
2009, Jeremy Strong, chapter 6, in The Indoor Pirates On Treasure Island, page 772 more examples
I said, "Your Royal Highness : on or abou the 10th day of October, 1861, John Wilson Mackenzie, of Rotterdam, Chemung county. New Jersey, deceased, contracted with the General Government to furnish to General Sherman the sum total of thirty barrels of beef—" "That will do, sir—that will do; this office has nothing to do with contracts for beef."
1871, Mark Twain, chapter IV, in Eye Openers: Good Things, Immensely Funny Sayings & Stories That Will Bring a Smile Upon the Gruffest Countenance, page 38C. — Mr. Smart Aleck, what does you know about this case? Smart A. — I heard the accused say, "them there Germans needs more taters." Miss C. — What else did you hear him say? Smart A.— Nothing but I lost my— Miss C. — Lost what? Smart A. — Lost my tater. Miss C— That will do for you. (To Solicitor) You may have the witness.
1919, Julia E. Park, Trial for the Murder of the King's English, page 12Synonyms: that will suffice, okay, that's enough, good
- idiomatican interjection used to tell a person or animal to stop what they are doing
Your dog should know (at least) how to down, stay, and come, and should also know "That Will Do" (or “OK")..."That Will Do": used to release the dog from work & call it off the stock.
2009, Caroline Colie, Australian shepherds : everything about purchase, care, nutrition, behavior, and training, page 801 more example
Harry suddenly realized that the tape measure, which was measuring between his nostrils, was doing this on its own. Mr. Ollivander was flitting around the shelves, taking down boxes. “That will do,” he said, and the tape measure crumpled into a heap on the floor.
2012, Joanne Rowling, “5, Diagon Alley”, in Harry Potter Omnibus, page 78
Synonyms & antonyms
phrasesaid to confirm that something is suitable in quantity or in a particular quality
Translations
French ça suffit, ça le fait
- ça suffitexpression to indicate something as being sufficient or enough
- ça le faitexpression to indicate something as being sufficient or enough
Māori kātirawhe
- kātirawheexpression to indicate something as being sufficient or enough
Polish wystarczy
- wystarczyexpression to indicate something as being sufficient or enough
Spanish aqueso funcará, con aqueso basta
- aqueso funcaráexpression to indicate something as being sufficient or enough
- con aqueso bastaexpression to indicate something as being sufficient or enough
- ansí está bienexpression to indicate something as being sufficient or enough
- pasa piolaexpression to indicate something as being sufficient or enough
Cite this entry
that will do. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/that%20will%20do
“that will do.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/that%20will%20do. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “that will do,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/that%20will%20do.
Source: that will do on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.