Definition
To damage, especially to a significant extent; to treat harshly; to produce ill effects in.
In Context
- "Last night, Harris went the distance and did a number on the Falcons, running for a career-high 141 yards while carrying the ball more often than he ever has."
- "Hopes have faded lately on Wall Street. . . . "This market is really doing a number on both professionals and the public alike," said Sam Weinstein in his investment advisory letter."
- "All-night caffeine-fueled video game binges do "a number on your body," says Essenburg."
- ""No, that won't work." Reynders sighed, not in frustration — she was an excellent pedagogue, and never got frustrated while instructing — but in mental exhaustion. This project was testing the limits of what she could handle, in her state, though that was nothing compared to the number it was doing on Udo's head. "But it doesn't need to work. ATCP doesn't ossify, that's why it's armageddon-proof. We'd never be able to make this function if we were using standard protocols.""