Waugh: that does for me

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Marius Hancu - 07 Jan 2010 08:54 GMT

Hello:

Does "does" in
"that does for me"
mean
"works?"

Is this standard BrE or is it dialect?

---
[Nanny Hawkins talking to Ryder]

'... Did you listen to Mr Mottram last night. Very nasty he was about
Hitler. I said to the girl Effie that does for me:"If Hitler was
listening, and if he understands English, which I doubt, he must feel
very small."'

Evelyn Waugh, Brideshead Revisited, p. 863
----
--
Thanks.
Marius Hancu

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James Hogg - 07 Jan 2010 08:58 GMT

> Hello:
>
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> listening, and if he understands English, which I doubt, he must feel
> very small."'

She's his maid or cleaner.

Three examples from the OED, all British, and all in scare quotes:
1844 J. T. J. HEWLETT Parsons & W. xliii, The slip-shod maid who 'did'
for the lodgers. 1914 B. STOKER Dracula's Guest 21 He..got..the name of
an old woman who would probably undertake to 'do' for him. 1936 A.
CHRISTIE Cards on Table xiv. 136 The superintendent's researches..led
him..to Mrs. Astwell -- who 'did' for the ladies at Wendon Cottage.

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James

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Tasha Miller - 07 Jan 2010 09:32 GMT

> Hello:
>
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> Evelyn Waugh, Brideshead Revisited, p. 863
> ----

Effie is the maid who does Nanny Hawkins cleaning for her. By the way,
"does for" in a different context means doing away with someone, i.e.
killing him.

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Don Phillipson - 07 Jan 2010 17:45 GMT

> Does "does" in
> "that does for me"
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
>
> Evelyn Waugh, Brideshead Revisited, p. 863

"Do for" = standard (proletarian) English of the period
for "clean," "tidy up, etc." Cf. one of the catchphrases
of the ITMA radio show. Charlady Mrs. Mopp puts her
head in the door and asks Mr. Handley "Can I do you now, sir?"

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Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

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Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2010

Waugh: that does for me