The phrasal verb 'do in' is primarily used in informal contexts and is more common in conversation than in formal writing. It generally means to cause harm or death to someone, as in "The exhaustion completely did me in." It can also be used more metaphorically to signify being overwhelmed or defeated by a situation, such as "That long hike really did me in." Usage patterns tend to include personal subjects, referring to the person or thing that is negatively impacted. While it may appear occasionally in written texts, especially narratives or dialogues mimicking natural speech, it is rare in professional or academic writing. Its informal nature makes it less appropriate for more formal settings.
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1. To kill or murder.
After everything that happened, he was sure they were planning to do him in.
The detectives suspected that the mobster had done in the witness.
2. To destroy or ruin something.
The storm did in the entire crop, leaving the farmers devastated.
