do a number on | Idiomator

Meaning: (informal,idiomatic)Todamage; totreatharshly; to produceilleffectsin.Synonym:take its toll1974October 29, “Sports: Full-time Franco Busts A Couple, Rushes For 141”, inPittsburgh Press, retrieved 20 Aug. 2010, page26:Last night, Harris went the distance anddid a number onthe Falcons, running for a career-high 141 yards while carrying the ball more often than he ever has.1988September 25, Chet Currier, “Obstacles remaining in market's path to revival”, inReading Eagle, USA, retrieved 20 Aug. 2010, page B4:Hopes have faded lately on Wall Street. . . . "This market is reallydoing a number onboth professionals and the public alike," said Sam Weinstein in his investment advisory letter.2007August 12, Laura Fitzpatrick, “The Newest Addictions on Campus”, inTime:All-night caffeine-fueled video game bingesdo"a number onyour body," says Essenburg.2023September 24, HarryBlank, “Working Wonders”, inSCP Foundation‎[1], archived fromthe originalon25 May 2024:"No, that won't work." Reynders sighed, not in frustration — she was an excellent pedagogue, and never got frustrated while instructing — but in mental exhaustion. This project was testing the limits of what she could handle, in her state, though that was nothing compared to thenumberit wasdoingon Udo's head. "But it doesn't need to work. ATCP doesn't ossify, that's why it's armageddon-proof. We'd never be able to make this function if we were using standard protocols."

Examples:

EN: And let's do a number on those tags and pins.
ES: Vamos a montar algo con etiquetas y alfileres.
EN: Why don't you take him inside and do a number on him?
ES: Entra con él y hazle una revisión.
EN: Come on, Dad. Don't do a number. Don't do a number on me.
ES: Vamos, hombre.
EN: Pick out one of these guys and do a number on him and get him interested, you know?
ES: Escoge uno y sedúcelo nada más, ¿sí?
EN: I mean I came here to do a number on you.
ES: Quiero decir, que vine aqui a hacerle un numero a usted.
EN: Those bombs can really do a number on your eardrums.
ES: Esas bombas pueden hacer una sinfonía en tus oídos.
EN: Were you trying to do a number on her head?
ES: ¿Trató de manipular su mente?
EN: This job can really do a number on you sometimes.
ES: A veces este trabajo nos afecta.
EN: And I can't believe, with a mug like that, you're letting Diane do a number on you.
ES: Y no puedo creer, con una taza así, usted está dejando Diane hacer un número de usted.
EN: This lady's gonna do a number on you, mate.
ES: Esa mujer te va a jugar una mala pasada, compañero
EN: But I'm not gonna get myself in another situation where some little punk with a big gun can do a number on me.
ES: Pero no caeré en otra situación en la que algún tipo armado me deje inmóvil.
EN: They can do a number on you.
ES: Pueden jugarte una mala pasada.
EN: Boy, did your mother do a number on you.
ES: Tu madre sí que te la hizo buena.
EN: Well, gunshots do a number on your face, so typically women prefer pills.
ES: Bien, las escopetas hacen un número en tu cara, entonces las mujeres típicamente prefieren píldoras.
EN: Did you do a number on Mrs Harris, eh?
ES: ¿Le hizo una escena a la señora Harris, eh?

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