Will This Do You?

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Will This Do You?

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Good morning.

What is the first interpretation that comes to mind of a native speaker after hearing the question below?

Will this do you?

I tried to google it and found two possible meanings:

1) Will this be enough for you?
Similar to the phrase "That will do", but I am not sure if it can be used with a person after 'do'.

2) To my surprise, I also found that "to do sb" might also mean "to have sex with sb" or "to do harm to sb (even kill)". But here the subject is 'this', so I am not sure whether this interpretation could make sense under any circumstances (maybe if the speaker pointed to a sex toy or a gun?).

3) Or maybe I am missing something and with have another meaning?

Mar 19 2023 08:31:21

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ReegisWhat is the first interpretation that comes to mind of a native speaker after hearing the question below?

The speaker wants to know whether you will be satisfied with what he is providing at the moment. Say you ask him for a cigarette, and he pulls out a French menthol, not sure if you will hate it. It is informal in the extreme, and it sounds quite alien to me here in the Middle Atlantic states of the US. It does not sound sexual at all even though "to do someone" can mean that.

Mar 19 2023 11:46:19

Thank you for your answer.

anonymousThe speaker wants to know whether you will be satisfied with what he is providing at the moment. Say you ask him for a cigarette, and he pulls out a French menthol, not sure if you will hate it.

So do I understand correctly that in this context "Will this do you?" just means "Will this do?" with the implied person which should be satisfied?

anonymousIt is informal in the extreme, and it sounds quite alien to me here in the Middle Atlantic states of the US.

This is interesting! So what would be a more natural way of saying this for people in the Middle Atlantic states?

Just "Does this satisfy you" or "Is this satisfactory to you"?

Is there something more informal than the two above?

Mar 19 2023 19:30:34

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ReegisSo do I understand correctly that in this context "Will this do you?" just means "Will this do?" with the implied person which should be satisfied?

You meant "with the implication that the person should be satisfied". Yes.

ReegisSo what would be a more natural way of saying this for people in the Middle Atlantic states?

Maybe "Ziss OK?" (Is this OK?)

ReegisJust "Does this satisfy you" or "Is this satisfactory to you"?

Nah. That's way too formal. Three syllables is a lot for us, and four is putting on airs.

ReegisIs there something more informal than the two above?

Well, obviously there are a thousand ways to say it. But I would probably say why I had any doubt that you would like it. "I have some French menthols."

I knew a guy who, if you bummed a smoke off him, would light it and flick it at you. I learned to catch them without getting burned much.

Mar 20 2023 10:36:47

anonymousYou meant "with the implication that the person should be satisfied". Yes.

Well, actually I meant both. This implication is of course the result of the meaning of the sentence, but what I was trying to say is that the only difference between Will this do you? and Will this do? is the removal of the object (you), hence it needs to be [unambiguously] implied whose satisfaction is meant in this conversation (which depends on context and we assume it here).

The rest is clear for me, so thanks for your help again

Mar 20 2023 15:12:31

Reegiswhat I was trying to say is that the only difference between Will this do you? and Will this do? is the removal of the object (you), hence it needs to be [unambiguously] implied whose satisfaction is meant

No. The meaning is unambiguous either way. The "you" just adds some jocular friction. I can't recommend it to an ESLer, or anybody, for that matter.

Mar 20 2023 17:36:34

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anonymousI can't recommend it to an ESLer, or anybody, for that matter.

Yeah, I remember that you said this phrase is extremely informal and quite alien to you. And I must say that this is very interesting how diverse English can be.

For example, if I just based my knowledge on the dictionary, like here:
https://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/will-do
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/pl/dictionary/english/that-will-do
Then I would have no idea that the phrase will do / will do someone might sound strange (be frowned-upon?) in some areas (in this meaning).

anonymousNo. The meaning is unambiguous either way.

OK, thanks for the confirmation. This is what I needed

Mar 21 2023 08:18:48

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ReegisWhat is the first interpretation that comes to mind of a native speaker after hearing the question below?
The speaker wants to know whether you will be satisfied with what he is providing at the moment. Say you ask him for a cigarette, and he pulls out a French menthol, not sure if you will hate it. It is informal in the extreme, and it sounds quite alien to me here in the Middle Atlantic states of the US. It does not sound sexual at all even though "to do someone" can mean that.
Thank you for your answer.
anonymousThe speaker wants to know whether you will be satisfied with what he is providing at the moment. Say you ask him for a cigarette, and he pulls out a French menthol, not sure if you will hate it.
So do I understand correctly that in this context "Will this do you?" just means "Will this do?" with the implied person which should be satisfied?
anonymousIt is informal in the extreme, and it sounds quite alien to me here in the Middle Atlantic states of the US.
This is interesting! So what would be a more natural way of saying this for people in the Middle Atlantic states?
Just "Does this satisfy you" or "Is this satisfactory to you"?
Is there something more informal than the two above?
ReegisSo do I understand correctly that in this context "Will this do you?" just means "Will this do?" with the implied person which should be satisfied?
You meant "with the implication that the person should be satisfied". Yes.
ReegisSo what would be a more natural way of saying this for people in the Middle Atlantic states?
Maybe "Ziss OK?" (Is this OK?)
ReegisJust "Does this satisfy you" or "Is this satisfactory to you"?
Nah. That's way too formal. Three syllables is a lot for us, and four is putting on airs.
ReegisIs there something more informal than the two above?
Well, obviously there are a thousand ways to say it. But I would probably say why I had any doubt that you would like it. "I have some French menthols."
I knew a guy who, if you bummed a smoke off him, would light it and flick it at you. I learned to catch them without getting burned much.
anonymousYou meant "with the implication that the person should be satisfied". Yes.
Well, actually I meant both. This implication is of course the result of the meaning of the sentence, but what I was trying to say is that the only difference between Will this do you? and Will this do? is the removal of the object (you), hence it needs to be [unambiguously] implied whose satisfaction is meant in this conversation (which depends on context and we assume it here).
The rest is clear for me, so thanks for your help again
Reegiswhat I was trying to say is that the only difference between Will this do you? and Will this do? is the removal of the object (you), hence it needs to be [unambiguously] implied whose satisfaction is meant
No. The meaning is unambiguous either way. The "you" just adds some jocular friction. I can't recommend it to an ESLer, or anybody, for that matter.
anonymousI can't recommend it to an ESLer, or anybody, for that matter.
Yeah, I remember that you said this phrase is extremely informal and quite alien to you. And I must say that this is very interesting how diverse English can be.
For example, if I just based my knowledge on the dictionary, like here:
https://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/will-do
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/pl/dictionary/english/that-will-do
Then I would have no idea that the phrase will do / will do someone might sound strange (be frowned-upon?) in some areas (in this meaning).
anonymousNo. The meaning is unambiguous either way.
OK, thanks for the confirmation. This is what I needed

Will This Do You?

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