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Usenet Posted 23 years ago
Usage

"do one" meaning "go away"

Watching "Cracker" on DVD I notice that Ricky Tomlinson's character, D.C.I. Wise, says "Do one!" in contexts where it appears to mean "Go away". I don't recall ever hearing this in real life or in films/TV.
Is this a commonly-used expression? If so, where? Wise is from Newcastle, I believe. I've asked a few friends, including from from Northern England, and most say they've never heard of "do one".

Adam Atkinson
  

Top answer

I. " in contexts where it appears ... believe.

  • I.
  • " in contexts where it appears ...
  • believe.
  • [/nq] A phrase common in the late 70s and early 80s (around Liverpool, at least, where I was at the time) was `to do a B1' which meant, roughly, `to go somewhere else'.
  • This resulted from applying for unemployment benefit to which you knew very well you weren't entitled, but had to do in order to acquire the necessary form, B1, to take to the social security office (or something like that).
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7 Answers
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[nq:1]Watching "Cracker" on DVD I notice that Ricky Tomlinson's character, D.C.I. Wise, says "Do one!" in contexts where it appears ... believe. I've asked a few friends, including from from Northern England, and most say they've never heard of "do one".[/nq]
A phrase common in the late 70s and early 80s (around Liverpool, at least, where I was at the time) was `to do a B1' which meant, roughl
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[nq:2]Watching "Cracker" on DVD I notice that Ricky Tomlinson's character, ... England, and most say they've never heard of "do one".[/nq]
[nq:1]A phrase common in the late 70s and early 80s (around Liverpool, at least, where I was at the time) ... B1, to take to the social security office (or something like that). I suspect it's just a truncation of that.[/nq]
It seems to be Liverpool, ra
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[nq:1]I always thought it was a truncation of 'do a runner' ie 'run away'. The B1 theory is interesting, but ... had to get a B1 from the dole to take to the social and no-one made a fuss about it.[/nq]
I've seen it recorded in at least one glossary of slang (desperately trying to remember where) as `to go somewhere when you know you're just going to end up going somewhere else' OSLT. I didn't
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[nq:1]It seems to be Liverpool, rather than North West in general. I didn't hear it around Manchester. It was common ... character Wise is intended to be a Newcastletonian, but I've never heard Tomlinson speak other than in his own accent.[/nq]
I'm probably just not very good at recognising accents. I always assumed Wise was from Newcastle for some reason. I'm probably dead wrong.
I wonder
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[nq:1]Watching "Cracker" on DVD I notice that Ricky Tomlinson's character, D.C.I. Wise, says "Do one!" in contexts where it appears ... believe. I've asked a few friends, including from from Northern England, and most say they've never heard of "do one".[/nq]
It's fairly common hereabouts (Liverpool).

Paul
My Lake District walking site (updated 29th September 2003):
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[nq:2]Watching "Cracker" on DVD I notice that Ricky Tomlinson's character, ... NorthernEngland, and most say they've never heard of "do one".[/nq]
[nq:1]It's fairly common hereabouts (Liverpool).[/nq]
Sorry to contradict, Paul, I thought 'e woz sayin "goowon", which is Yorkshire/Lancashire for "go on", meaning to go away.

Some other similar expressions are "soddoff" (= go away) an
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[nq:2]Watching "Cracker" on DVD I notice that Ricky Tomlinson's character, ... England, and most say they've never heard of "do one".[/nq]
[nq:1]It's fairly common hereabouts (Liverpool).[/nq]
Thanks. It turns out Wise (and Tomlinson) are from Liverpool, so that makes sense.

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