In English, we use several expressions with do / did / done.

In this article we will take a look at some common expressions with done.

It is not the done thing to

If something is not the done thing, it is not socially acceptable. Actually, the expressions politically correct (PC) and non-politically correct (non-PC) are also used with similar meanings.

Study the examples given below.

• It is not the done thing to misbehave with your servants. (= Misbehaving with your servants is not socially acceptable. OR It is politically incorrect to misbehave with your servants.)
• In many societies, it is not the done thing to call elders by their names.

Done and dusted

The expression done and dusted is used to indicate the successful completion of something. The expression over and done with is used to talk about mildly unpleasant situations which are now finished.

These expressions have slightly different shades of meaning. We use done and dusted when we are happy with the completion of something. We use over and done with to simply state that you are happy that something (usually unpleasant) is over or finished.

Compare:

• They have finally approved my application. Yes, it’s all done and dusted. (= You are quite happy with the result.)
• At long last justice has been delivered. Now the whole thing is over and done with.

Do your nut / Done your nut in

These expressions have different meanings. To do your nut is to lose your temper.

My mother never really approved of Sam, so when she discovered that I was seeing him, she did her nut. (= She flew into a rage.)

If something does your nut in, it confuses you.

• She was so tired that she couldn’t make sense of that report. It did her nut in.