do by, do for 与 do with 这几个短语很容易混淆。
(1) do by意为“对待,相待”,相当于treat, behave towards。
- The young couples do very well by their nursemaid. (=treat their nursemaid very well)
这对年轻夫妇对他们的保姆非常好。 - He complains that he has been hard done by . (=has been treated badly)
他抱怨说,他受到了虐待。
(2) do for可表示:
①可做……用;行得通;适合;代替;供养。口语中还可表示“设法搞到”。
- This place will do for our camping.
这地方可供我们搭营帐。 - Will this screw-driver do for the one you lost?
这把螺丝刀能代替你丢的那一把吗? - Can this sort of work do for you?
这种活适合你做吗? - How did you do for water while traversing the desert?
穿越沙漠时你们是怎么搞到水的? - This dress will do for Mary.
这件衣服会很适合玛丽。
②照顾,照应;帮……做事;替……管家,做家务。
- Mary has been doing for Mr.Hill ever since his wife died.
自希尔先生的太太去世后,玛丽就给他家当管家。 - They can't afford domestic help, so they have to do for themselves .
他们雇不起佣人,于是只好自己来料理家务。
③使完蛋,使失败;毁坏;极其痛苦;杀死;毁掉。
- This camera is almost/about done for .
这架相机几乎报废了。 - Tom received a heavy blow on the head that I thought had done for him .
汤姆头上重重地挨了一下子,我想这下可要了他的命了。 - The severe storm did for most of the buildings in the region.
这场严重的暴风雨毁掉了该地区大部分建筑物。
(3) do with表示:
①处理,安排,办;多与what连用(可有多种译法)。
- What did you do with that old bike?
那辆旧自行车你是怎么处理的? - The boys didn't know what to do with themselves when school ended.
学校放假时,这些男孩子们不知道该做些什么。 - Can you do anything with it?
这能派上什么用场吗?
②需要、想要(某人或某物)。
- We can do with an additional typist.
我们需要增加一名打字员。 - Our house could do with painting.
我们的房子需要刷涂料了。
③用……将就。
- If we can't afford meat, we shall have to do with fish.
如果我们买不起肉,我们将不得不吃鱼将就了。
④有理由拥有(某物),与what连用。
- I don't know what such a young man is doing with a gun.
我不知道这样一个年轻人持有一支枪要做什么。 - I wonder what they're doing with such a big house.
我不知他们拥有这么大一座房子作何用。
⑤(不能) 忍受、遭受;不能做某事,与cannot连用。
- He couldn't do with waiting any longer, and left.
他等不下去,就离开了。 - I can't do with loud noisy music.
我受不了嘈杂的音乐。 - I can't do with visitors this week, as we've got decorators in the house.
这周我不能接待客人,因为我们家请了装修工来装修。
⑥控制(自己)。
- The children didn't know what to do with themselves as Christmas drew near.
随着圣诞节的临近,孩子们兴奋得不能自已。
⑦与……有关系,与have to连用。
- A: I know he behaves badly.
我知道他表现不好。
B: It all has to do with the way he was brought up.
这全都与他所受的教育有关系。 - He has to do with all sorts of people.
他与各种各样的人都有关系。
⑧有时have后可用something, anything, nothing, little, a lot等词语。
- This has little to do with what we're talking about.
这与我们现在所谈的关系不大。 - He had something to do with my decision to teach English.
他对我做出教英语的决定起了一些作用。