Common American Phrases in Everyday Contexts (39 page)

Don't do anything I wouldn't do
.
an expression said when two friends are parting. (Familiar and colloquial.)
B
ILL
: See you tomorrow, Tom. T
OM
: Yeah, man. Don't do anything I wouldn't do. B
ILL
: What wouldn't you do?
M
ARY
: Where are you going, Bill? B
ILL
: Oh, just around. M
ARY
: Sure, you're spinning. Well, don't do anything I wouldn't do. B
ILL
: Okay, but what wouldn't you do? M
ARY
: Beat it, you clown! B
ILL
: I'm off.

Don't even look like
something
!
Do not even appear to be doing something! (The
something
can be thinking about something or
actually doing something.)
M
ARY
: Are you thinking about taking that last piece of cake? B
OB
: Of course not. M
ARY
: Well, don't even look like you're doing it!
J
OHN
: You weren't going to try to sneak into the theater, were you? B
OB
: No. J
OHN
: Well, don't even look like it, if you know what's good for you.

Don't even think about (doing) it
.
Do not do it, and do not even think about doing it.
John reached into his jacket for his wallet. The cop, thinking John was about to draw a gun, said, “Don't even think about it.
”
M
ARY
: Look at that diver! It must be forty feet down to the water. B
OB
: Don't even think about doing it yourself.

Don't even think about it (happening)
.
Do not even think about something terrible actually happening. (Compare to Don't even think about (doing) it.)
M
ARY
: Oh, those cars almost crashed! How horrible! F
RED
: Don't even think about it
.
S
ALLY
: If the banks fail, we'll lose everything we have. S
UE
: Don't even think about it!

Don't forget to write
.
Go to Remember to write.

Don't get up
.
Please, there is no need to rise to greet me or in deference to me.
Mary approached the table to speak to Bill. Bill started to push his chair back as if to rise. Mary said, “Don't get up. I just want to say hello.
”
T
OM
(rising): Hello, Fred. Good to see you. F
RED
(standing): Don't get up. How are you?

Don't get your bowels in an uproar
!
Do not get so excited! (Slang.)
B
ILL
: What have you done to my car? Where's the bumper? The side window is cracked! B
OB
: Calm down! Don't get your bowels in an uproar!
F
ATHER
: Now, Son, we need to talk a little bit about you and your pet snake. Where is it? J
OHN
: I don't know. F
ATHER
(outraged): What! J
OHN
: Don't get your bowels in an uproar! It always turns up.