Idioms for job

    do a job on, Slang.
    1. to destroy, defeat, damage, or confound thoroughly: The thugs did a job on him—he'll be in the hospital for a month.
    2. to deceive, persuade, or charm glibly; snow.
    on the job, alert; observant: The cops were on the job and caught them red-handed.

Origin of job

1
1620–30; 1935–40 for def 15; origin uncertain

SYNONYMS FOR job

1 See task.
2 See position.

British Dictionary definitions for do a job on (1 of 2)

job
/ (dʒɒb) /

noun

verb jobs, jobbing or jobbed

Word Origin for job

C16: of uncertain origin

British Dictionary definitions for do a job on (2 of 2)

Job
/ (dʒəʊb) /

noun

Old Testament
  1. a Jewish patriarch, who maintained his faith in God in spite of the afflictions sent by God to test him
  2. the book containing Job's pleas to God under these afflictions, attempted explanations of them by his friends, and God's reply to him
any person who withstands great suffering without despairing

Cultural definitions for do a job on

Job
[ (johb) ]

In the Old Testament, a man whose faith was severely tested by Satan, with God's permission. Job was the most prosperous and happy of men, who faithfully praised God for God's goodness. In order to get him to curse God, Satan destroyed all that Job owned, killed his children, and struck Job himself with vile sores from head to foot. False friends of Job's suggested that he should abandon his beliefs (see Job's comforters). But even in absolute misery, Job would not curse God, saying instead, “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away: blessed be the name of the Lord.” As a reward for his steadfast faith, God healed Job and “gave him twice as much as he had before.”

notes for Job

Figuratively, any long-suffering person can be said to be “as patient as Job.”

Idioms and Phrases with do a job on (1 of 2)

do a job on

Also, do a number on. Damage, harm, as in The cat really did a job on the upholstery, or The teacher did a number on the class with that assignment. This slangy idiom uses job (or number) in the sense of “something negative.”

Idioms and Phrases with do a job on (2 of 2)

job

see do a job on; hatchet man (job); lie down (on the job); on the job; put-up job; snow job; soft job.