Meaning & use
charity do
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountableinformalBritish
an informal social event, such as a party or dinner, organized to collect money for a charity.
Grammar: Countable: a charity do, two charity dos. The plural is usually 'charity dos'.
Patterns
- a charity do
- at a charity do
- organize a charity do
We're going to a charity do at the village hall on Saturday.
She organized a charity do to raise money for the local hospital.
The charity do was a great success and raised over a thousand pounds.
Word forms
| plural | charity dos |
|---|
Common combinations
- organize a charity do
- They organized a charity do to help the homeless.
- go to a charity do
- I'm going to a charity do tonight.
- hold a charity do
- The school held a charity do in the gym.
Synonyms and how they differ
- charity event
- This is the standard, more formal term and is used in both British and American English; 'charity do' is informal and mainly British.
- fundraiser
- This can be any event to raise money, not necessarily for a charity; it is common in American English.
Word family
- charity noun
- An organization that helps people in need, or the act of giving help.
- charitable adjective
- Generous in giving help or money to those in need.
Commonly confused: charity do or charity?
charity do vs charity
A charity is an organization; a charity do is a social event to raise money for one.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'charity do' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Charity do' means an informal social event to raise money. Option 2 confuses it with 'charity' as an organization, option 3 uses it as a donation, and option 4 makes no sense with this meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “charity do”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.