do a job on (someone or something)

do a job on (someone or something)

1. To have a harmful impact on someone or something. Considering her pessimism toward marriage, her last break-up must have really done a job on her. Ugh, your puppy did a job on my new shoes—they're completely chewed up! I guess I really did a job on my computer because IT couldn't even fix it.

2. Of a domesticated animal (typically a pet), to defecate on something. My cat used to always use her litter box, but she regularly does a job on the floor, unfortunately. No, no dogs allowed. What if he did a job on the gallery floor, huh? Looks—and smells—like somebody did a job on her cat bed. Guess I'm cleaning that up!

3. To severely rebuke someone. Man, the boss really did a job on me for messing up that client's account. I had to do a job on my teenage daughter—she keeps breaking curfew! If you submit another project late, the professor will definitely do a job on you.

4. To physically assault someone. The mafia leader sent a couple of goons to do a job on the witness so that she wouldn't testify in court. Tom did a job on the drunken buffoon for making disparaging remarks about his sister. Two would-be muggers tried to rob a Marine, and he did quite a job on them.

See also: job, on

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

do a job on someone or something

 

1. Euph. to defecate on someone or something. (Note the variation in the second example.) The puppy did a job on the living-room carpet. It's supposed to do its job on the newspapers in the basement.

2. Sl. to damage someone or something; to mess up someone or something. The robbers really did a job on the bank guard. They beat him when they robbed the bank. The puppy did a job on my shoes. They are all chewed to pieces.

See also: job, on

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

do a job on

Also, do a number on. Damage, harm, as in The cat really did a job on the upholstery, or The teacher did a number on the class with that assignment. This slangy idiom uses job (or number) in the sense of "something negative."

See also: job, on

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

do a job on someone

mainly AMERICAN, INFORMAL

If one person does a job on another, the first person badly hurts or harms the second or defeats them completely. Look at your face! They sure did a job on you! Yankees pitchers did a job on Boston's two most valuable players.

See also: job, on, someone

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

do a job on someone

do something which harms or defeats an opponent. informal

See also: job, on, someone

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

do a job on someone

verb

See do a number on someone

See also: job, on, someone

do a job on someone/something

1. tv. to ruin someone or something; to give someone or something a thorough working over. The cops did a job on Rocko, but he still wouldn’t talk.

2. Go to do a number on someone.

See also: job, on, someone, something

McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

do a job on

1. To damage, harm, or worsen: The stylist did a real job on my hair.

2. To defecate on.

See also: job, on

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.