English Idioms
Comprehensive resource for understanding and mastering English idioms
Make do
Meaning
The idiom "make do" means to manage or find a way to make the best of a difficult situation, often with limited resources or means. It can also mean to make a substitute or do something that is adequate but not ideal.
Usage
- She had to make do with an old car until she could afford a new one.
- When he lost his job, he had to make do with odd jobs and freelancing.
- We had to make do with simple meals during the power outage.
- The company was struggling financially, so they had to make do with fewer resources.
- She couldn't afford a new laptop, so she had to make do with an old one.
Roots and History
The idiom "make do" has been in use since the early 20th century. It comes from the verb "do," which means to accomplish something, and the phrase "make shift," which means to make a substitute or improvisation. In contemporary language, the phrase has become more common and can be used in a wider range of situations.
Synonyms in English
- get by
- manage
- cope
- make do with
- scrape by
Synonyms in other languages
- Spanish - "hacer frente" (to face up to)
- French - "faire fonctionner" (to make work)
- German - "sorgen, sich bemühen" (to worry and strive)
- Italian - "fare da solo" (to manage alone)
- Portuguese - "viver na esperança" (to live in hope)