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

coin money
—(coll.) gain money rapidly and with ease: For the
last four years he literally coined money.
do one’s thing • do the other thing
do one’s thing —
1
. act in a way commonly associated with
the person: It’s quite amusing to listen to him doing his thing
with tourists in the lounge bar. 2. follow one’s own interests
or inclinations: I think, rather, she insists on doing her
thing — what it pleases or suits her to do.
do the other thing—(in the phrase “one can do the other thing”)
is used to express a refusal to bargain or compromise: I couldn’t
have a better home and anybody who doesn’t like it can do
the other thing.
do one’s worst • make the worst of it
do one’s worst—do one’s utmost in evil or mischief: Out of
sheer revenge, he did his worst to blacken her character.
make the worst of it—experience the worst aspect of a situ-
ation: Having married, they immediately proceeded, as if by
mutual consent, to make the worst of it.
See also: have the best of it / make the best of it.
do oneself down • do oneself up
do oneself down —(UK coll.) make oneself ashamed or less
proud of oneself: Remember not to do yourself down — it is
your job to sell yourself, the employer’s job to judge how well
you do this.
do oneself up —(coll.) dress up for the party, etc.; make one-
self more beautiful: After spending two hours putting makeup
on and doing herself up I would hope she does look better.
Note:
The expression is not equivalent in meaning to the phrase
make oneself up—(of an actor preparing for the stage, etc.) apply
cosmetics to one’s face: He started as a teenage clown, making
himself up with shaving cream and lipstick.
do oneself well • do well for oneself
do oneself well —
1
. provide oneself with comforts, delicacies,
etc.: The old artist always did himself well: he took berths on
the Orient Express, in spite of Connie’s dislike of trains de
luxe…. 2. become professionally or financially successful: The
film was directed by Bruce Beresford … and with this one I
think he has done himself well.
do well for oneself — = do oneself well 2: When we look
around this shop the outsider may say to himself that George
has done well for himself and is basking in gold.