Do Bad?

Question

1. "do good to people" = do good deeds to people

2. "do right to people" = do morally right deeds to people

3. "do wrong to people" = do wrong deeds to people

4. "do bad to people" = do bad deeds to people

I belive some of these are incorrect. Could you help me?

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

They are all used, and in the meanings you listed, but I don't think any of them are used very much in most general conversations.

Was there anything special you wanted to know about any of them?

CJ

MeggPhaggSioux · Answer

Are any of them sub-formal english?

Clive · Answer

Hi,

I belive some of these are incorrect. Could you help me? It's mainly a matter of what is idiomatic. Here's how I might say it, trying to sttay close to your version.

1. "do good to people" = do good deeds to people OK

2. "do right --to-- by people" = do morally right deeds to people

3. "do wrong to people" = do wrong deeds to people

I'd say 'wrong people', using 'wrong' as a verb.

4. "do bad to people" = do bad deeds to people

I'd say 'treat people badly'.

Clive

MeggPhaggSioux · Answer

So:

1. "do good to people" CORRECT

2. "do right to people" INCORRECT

3. "do wrong to people" INCORRECT

4. "do bad to people" INCORRECT

Clive · Answer

Hi,

Right. Don't use 2/3/4.

Clive

CalifJim · Answer

If you do some research on-line, you will see that all of these expressions are used in certain contexts. They are used in very high register contexts (The Bible, ethics, morality) and in some specialized low register contexts (song lyrics) with hardly any usages in between. They are almost never used in ordinary casual conversations. Sometimes it's just not so easy as "correct" and "incorrect".

All are used in the Bible, in discussions of morality and ethics, and in texts that express ideas in lofty and poetic ways:

Love your enemies; do good to those Who hate you. (Biblical)
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Galatians: “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." (Biblical)
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To do good to the bad is a danger as great as to do bad to the good. -- Platus
I do not want others to do bad to me. (discussion on ethics)
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I dedicate myself to the service and well-being of the people of the Republic of Ghana and to do right to all manner of persons. (Presidential oath of office. The same wording occurs in a surprising number of other oaths of office in other countries.)
According to a past president of the Harvard Islamic Society, jihad is "the determination to do right, to do justice even against your own interests. (Islamic ethics)
Do right to the widows, judge for the fatherless, give to the poor, defend the orphan, clothe the naked. - Apocrypha. (Biblical)
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Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none. (Shakespeare.)
Many people choose to do wrong; many people do wrong to themselves and to others, including ***'s people.
Socrates claimed he would rather suffer wrong than for him to do wrong to others.

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But there are other usages, mostly lower register. These are not Biblical or poetic in nature.

Hence if you want to do good to yourself and want to get fit, you have to be open and not be prejudiced. (Personal development site. Physical fitness.)
'Benevolence' is the inclination to do good to others. (Dictionary definition.)
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What can marijuana do bad to me? (Yahoo Answers site)

Baby I (I) won't (won't) tell (tell)
I'll never do bad to youuuuu
Cause baby you got it, and you got me
I got a thing for ya (Song lyrics. Fat Joe.)
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Do Right to Me Baby (Song lyrics. Bob Dylan.)
In general I try my hardest to do right to people and by people. (General remark)
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What did I do wrong to my girlfriend? (Yahoo Answers site.)
What did I do wrong to my husband? (Women's Health site.)

If you're just looking for phrases to use in ordinary conversation, not writing in Biblical style, and not writing popular song lyrics, I would advise you not to use any of them.

CJ

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