make a do of it—(coll.) make smth. succeed (also: make a go of it):
- You’ve got your own life and you go and live it and make a do of it.
Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase make do with something—(also: make something do) accept smth. although it is not quite adequate or satisfactory:
- It should be no great hardship for the community to make do with the same housing accommodation that it enjoyed in 1938.
Cf.: make do and mend—continue to manage with smth. one already possesses, especially by repairing or adapting:
- The author describes how fashion was limited by shortage and utility, creating an era of make do and mend.
make a to-do about it—(coll.) complain too much about smth.; make a fuss or a scene about smth.:
- If the waiter makes a mistake, don’t make a big to-do about it.