Meaning & use
rum do
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Meaning
nounsingularBritishold-fashionedinformal
A strange, surprising or awkward event or situation that leaves people puzzled or a little unsettled.
Grammar: Usually used with a: it was a rum do, not 'rum dos'.
Patterns
- a rum do
- it's a rum do that something happens
It was a rum do when the bride's uncle turned up in a clown costume.
Well, that's a rum do: the shop closed without any warning at all.
Losing both keys on the same day is a rum do, isn't it?
Common combinations
- a rum do
- The whole evening turned into a rum do.
- quite a rum do
- It was quite a rum do, finding the front door wide open.
- what a rum do
- What a rum do, to be fired and promoted in the same week!
- a bit of a rum do
- The village fete was a bit of a rum do this year.
Synonyms and how they differ
- odd business
- Odd business is plainer and more neutral, while rum do sounds quaintly British and gently humorous.
- strange affair
- Strange affair is more formal and can suggest something mysterious, whereas rum do is casual and can describe merely awkward events.
- palaver
- A palaver is an annoying fuss over something, but a rum do is about something odd, not necessarily a fuss.
- carry-on
- Carry-on names a noisy or silly commotion, while rum do focuses on how peculiar the situation is.
Word family
Commonly confused: rum do or rum?
rum do vs rum
As a drink, rum is an alcoholic spirit, but in 'rum do' it is an old adjective meaning strange and has nothing to do with alcohol.
Practice
'Well, that's a rum do,' said Mr Hall, staring at the empty shelves. What does he mean?
Choose one answer.
A rum do is a puzzling or awkward event. 'Party' is tempting because do can mean a party, but in this idiom rum means strange.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “rum do”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.