A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

one could do with something • one couldn’t do
with something
one could do with something —
1
. one could make use of or
benefit from smth.: You look as if you could do with a wash
and brush up. Cf.: one could do without something — one
could dispense with smth.; one could manage in spite of not hav-
ing smth.: There were times when physicists ran from philos -
ophers, being sure they could do without their advice
and recommendations. 2. is used as an indirect way of ask-
ing for smth.: I could just do with a nice cup of tea and a
smoke.
one couldn’t do with something —one couldn’t put up with
or tolerate smth.: I just couldn’t do with only one pair of pants
because I would have to do laundry too many times.
one fine day • one of these fine days
one fine day —(also: one day) 
1
. at some distant time in the
future (used as a promise or prophecy): Neither was I to know
that I should one fine day have a son who would make me
very proud of him. 2. on a certain day in the past: But one
fine day in early summer … Maxine found herself canceling
an arrangement to meet a friend in town.
one of these fine days —(also: one of these days) at some time
in the future that may be quite soon (used as a promise or
prophecy): One of these fine days he’ll realize what a fool he’s
been.
one has to go • one has to go some
one has to go —(euph.) one needs to visit a washroom: I am
unable to wait to use the restroom a lot of times that I have
to go.
one has to go some —(coll.) one must try harder or have to
improve: For sheer results from a first-year garden in “totally
worthless” soil, you’ll have to go some.
one had better • one had rather
one had better —said of smth. one should or must do for
some practical reason: I decided I had better contact Farooq
straightaway. I phoned both numbers from the hotel.
one had rather —(also: one would rather) is used to indicate
preference: I had rather see the portrait of a dog that I know,
than all the allegorical paintings they can show me in the
world.