What does doing mean?
'Doing' functions primarily as the gerund and present participle of the verb 'do', but as a noun in its own right it denotes an action, deed, or activity — the actual performance of something rather than merely its intention. It can carry a tone of effort or consequence, as in 'that will take some doing', meaning a task demands real work. In its informal plural form, 'doings', the word refers to events, activities, or goings-on, often with a mildly folksy or colloquial flavor: 'what are the doings downtown?' The word belongs to the oldest layer of English vocabulary, descending directly from Old English through Germanic roots shared with words like 'deed'. Versatile and unpretentious, 'doing' bridges formal and everyday registers, appearing everywhere from legal phrasing to casual conversation, and it remains indispensable for expressing action as opposed to mere talk.
An action or deed; the act of performing something.
"Finishing the marathon was no small doing on his part."
Often used in phrases emphasizing effort, such as 'take some doing' or 'be hard doing'.
(In plural, 'doings') Informal term for activities, events, or goings-on.
"I heard about all the doings at the festival from my sister."
Chiefly British and Irish informal; can sound quaint or dated elsewhere.
The plural 'doings' typically refers to a set of activities or events rather than multiple individual deeds. It is informal and common in British English.
"She kept herself informed of the latest doings in the village."
'Doings' — that cozy old word for everything happening around town — has been gossip's favorite shorthand since at least Shakespeare's day.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of doing
Doing derives from the Old English verb 'dōn', which comes from Proto-Germanic '*dōną', meaning to put, place, or perform. This root also gave rise to related Germanic words such as German 'tun' and Dutch 'doen'. More distantly, it connects to the Indo-European root '*dhē-', which produced Latin 'facere' (to make) and Greek 'tithenai' (to place), making 'doing' a cousin of words like 'deed', 'deem', 'doom', and even 'fact'. The noun use, referring to actions or deeds, developed naturally from the verbal form and was well established in Middle English.
Related word forms
How doing is actually used
As a mass noun, 'doing' is fairly formal and often appears in phrases like 'the doing of a task'. The plural 'doings' is distinctly informal and slightly old-fashioned in American English, though it remains common in British and Irish speech. The phrase 'it takes some doing' means something requires considerable effort.
Easily confused with doing
'Doing' is the gerund of 'do' (performing an action), while 'dyeing' means coloring fabric or hair with dye.
'Dooing' is a misspelling; the correct spelling is 'doing', with a single 'o'.