adon.adj.²adv.

Brit.

/əˈduː/, U.S.

/əˈdu/, Scottish English

/əˈdu/

Inflections: Plural adoes, ados.

Forms:

α. Middle English at do, Middle English at done.

β. Middle English–1500s (1800s– English regional) adoo, Middle English–1700s adoe, Middle English– ado, 1500s adooe, 1500s adow, 1500s adew; Scottish pre-1700 addo, pre-1700 adoe, pre-1700 adou, pre-1700 adow, pre-1700 1700s– ado, pre-1700 1800s adoo, 1700s adi, 1800s adeu (Orkney), 1800s adowe, 1800s adü (Shetland), 1800s– adae, 1800s– adee.

Origin: Formed within English, by compounding. Etymons: at prep., do v.

Etymology: < at prep. (compare at prep. VI.) + do v., in β. forms with reduction of the first syllable (compare discussion at a- prefix¹); perhaps ultimately reflecting influence from early Scandinavian (compare discussion at at prep. VI.). Compare to-do n. With use as adjective compare earlier adoing adj. Compare also do v. Phrases 1. Originally a verbal present infinitive construction (see A. 1), which, when used predicatively with have v. (see have v. VII.) complemented by a pronominal object such as enough , little , much , was reinterpreted as a noun qualified by an adjective, leading to use with other adjectives in phrases such as to have great ado (compare quot. c1425 at sense A. 4), which in turn led to independent uses as noun. With to have ado compare also Old French avoir a faire , avoir afaire (see affair n.).

A. n.

1. Chiefly Scottish and English regional (northern). As infinitive. to have ado: to have (or need) to do.Occasionally with other verbs in Scottish and English regional (northern) use.

ΚΠ

a1300 Rhyming Charter (Sawyer 457) in W. de G. Birch Cartularium Saxonicum (1887) II. 326 Yat ye land of seint Wilfrai..fre sal be ay; At na nan [read man]..In yair Herpsac sal have at do.

a1425 (?a1400) G. Chaucer Romaunt Rose (Hunterian) (1891) l. 5080 I wole that they to gedre go And don al that they han ado [Fr. et facent quanqu'il doivent faire].

a1425 Edward, Duke of York Master of Game (Digby) Prol. 144 For he hath ynogh at done to ride or fote wele with his houndes.

1469 A. Scales in Paston Lett. & Papers (2004) II. 572 My fader and I must..shewe vnto hym oure gode assystens..in such maters as he shall haue a doo.

1487 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (St. John's Cambr.) x. 349 I mycht nocht suffice thar-to, Sa mekill suld be thare ado.

a1500 (a1460) Towneley Plays (1994) I. xx. 239 (MED) We haue othere thyngys at do.

a1557 J. Cheke tr. Gospel St. Matthew (1843) vi. 38 Eueri dai hath inough adoo with her own troble.

1563 2nd Tome Homelyes sig. Oooo.i^v To haue any thing adoo with him.

1603 Philotus lxxvii. sig. C4^v Ze sall gang and prouyde, Ane Pages claithis in the meine tyde, For all occasions me besyde, Against I haue ado.

1637 G. Gillespie Dispute against Eng.-Popish Ceremonies i. viii. 25 We are dead to them, and have nothing adoe with them.

a1752 in R. Erskine Serm. & Pract. Wks. (1765) II. xciii. 136/1 Let them slay and overcome, lest my people forget their prayers, and forget my promise, and forget what they have ado for me, and what I have ado for them.

1792 R. Burns Hey, Ca' thro' in J. Johnson Scots Musical Museum IV. 392 Hey, ca' thro', ca' thro', For we hae mickle ado!

1820 J. Hogg Winter Evening Tales II. 247 I wonder what he had ado in appearing to me?

1845 P. Still Cottar's Sunday 145 There's nocht ado but bar the door An' rest the fire.

1971 in Sc. National Dict. (1974) IX. 283/2 I'll hae plenty adee atween this and Whitsunday.

2. Action, activity; work, business; fuss. without further (also more) ado, with no more ado: without further fuss or ceremony; immediately. Formerly also (Scottish) †as a count noun (obsolete). Cf. to-do n.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > manner of action > vigour or energy > [noun] > briskness or activeness > bustle or fuss

to-doc1330

adoc1380

great (also much) cry and little woolc1460

feery-fary1535

fray1568

stirc1595

do1598

coil1599

hurl1603

ruffle1609

clutterment1611

buzz1628

bustle1637

paddle1642

racket1644

clutter1652

tracas1656

tracasserie1656

circumference1667

flutter1667

hurly-burly1678

fuss1701

fissle1719

fraise1725

hurry-scurry1753

fix-fax1768

fal-lal1775

widdle1789

touse1792

fuffle1801

going-on1817

hurry and scurry1823

sputter1823

tew1825

Bob's-a-dying1829

fidge1832

tamasha1842

mulling1845

mussing1846

fettling1847

fooster1847

trade1854

scrimmage1855

carry-on1861

fuss-and-feathers1866

on-carry1870

make-a-do1880

miration1883

razzle-dazzle1885

song and dance1885

to get a rustle on1891

tea-party1903

stirabout1905

whoop-de-do1910

chichi1928

production1941

go-go1966

c1380 Sir Ferumbras (1879) 1495 (MED) Þe lordes buþ þan a-paste wyþ-oute more a-do.

Promptorium Parvulorum (Harl. 221) 7 A-do, or grete bysynesse, sollicitudo.

1489 W. Caxton tr. C. de Pisan Bk. Fayttes of Armes ii. xxxviii. 160 They that by the see wol go, be it in armee or to som other adoo.

1535 Bible (Coverdale) Psalms xlv. 6 The Heithen are madd, the kyngdomes make much adoo.

1554 in J. Stuart Misc. Spalding Club (1842) II. 276 To serf the said Lord and Maister..in all thair caussis and querrellis, bissenes and adois.

1597 W. Shakespeare Romeo & Juliet iii. iv. 23 Wee'le make no great a doe, a frend or two.

a1646 J. Row Hist. Kirk Scotl. (1842) 162 The King's Majestie..imployed them at his pleasure in some particular adoes.

1691 A. D'Anvers Academia 22 Whop Sir, thought I, and what ado's here?

1725 A. Ramsay Gentle Shepherd v. i What ails thee, gowk! to mak sae loud ado?

1755 B. Martin Mag. Arts & Sci. iii. xi. 237 The Ancients made much more ado about this Season of the Year than we.

1834 H. Taylor Philip Van Arteveld ii. iv, in Wks. I. 325 We shall have much ado with this good town.

1839 C. F. Briggs Adventures Harry Franco I. xii. 83 And without more ado, he took hold of my heels and dragged me out on to the floor before I had time to make any resistance.

1841 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. Aug. 157/2 Where there is no House of Commons, every man will make more ado with his own house.

1859 J. Griffiths Two Bks. Homilies 178 (note) That any true christian ought to have any ado with filthy and dead images.

1905 Cent. Mag. Jan. 472/2 ‘Hi, man,’ says he, ‘gimme a leg; up wid you; up you goes!’ An' wid no more ado I was pickaback.

1997 M. Keyes Rachel's Holiday xliv. 378 Then without further ado..he turned on his heel and strode off down the street, leaving me staring slack-jawed after him.

3. A relationship, interaction, or connection; dealings, concerns; spec. †sexual intercourse (obsolete); (also) a hostile or military encounter. Only in to have ado with; cf. to have to do with (also †mid, †of, †on) at do v. Phrases 1b(a). Now archaic and rare.

ΚΠ

1400 G. ap Dafydd ap Gruffudd Let. 11 June in H. Ellis Orig. Lett. Eng. Hist. (1827) 2nd Ser. I. 6 (MED) Sr. Ric. Kakin..With the qwych I had neuer ado nor no covenande made.

a1425 (?a1400) G. Chaucer Romaunt Rose (Hunterian) (1891) l. 3036 And yitt hadde trespasse neuer adoo With Resoun ne neuer ley hir bye.

c1450 Alphabet of Tales (1904) I. 179 (MED) He lay by hur & had at do with hur.

c1500 Melusine (1895) 262 I doubte me to haue shortly a strong werre & to haue a doo with a strong partye.

1570 in B. Cusack Everyday Eng. 1500–1700 (1998) 18 He said that he the said Robert had had ado w^th her.

1590 E. Spenser Faerie Queene iii. vii. 58 [She] flat refusd to have adoe with mee, Because I could not give her many a Jane.

1742 A. Gib Warning against countenancing Ministrations George Whitefield 57 Their Consolations and Assurance meet with frequent Interruptions, because they have ado with a holy God, who chastises for Unholiness.

1907 F. B. T. Coutts-Nevill Romance of King Arthur 205 Sir Launcelot, on your peril draw not near; For all that have ado with me repent.

1922 J. Joyce Ulysses ii. 369 They had had ado each with other in the house of misericord where this learning knight lay.

4. Trouble, difficulty; frequently in with (also without) much ado. Also as a count noun, frequently in to have one's own ados (now Scottish).

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > difficulty > types of difficulty > [noun] > difficulty, trouble, or bother

clondc1275

businessa1387

adoc1400

importunityc1475

fatigue1669

bother1761

botherment1821

picnic1896

palaver1899

hassle1959

the world > action or operation > manner of action > effort or exertion > [noun] > trouble taken to accomplish anything

whilec1175

painc1330

pine?c1335

teenc1380

adoc1400

labourc1405

painsc1480

trouble1577

fatigue1669

c1400 (?a1387) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Huntington HM 137) (1873) C. vi. l. 164 Lytel hadde lordes a-do to ȝeue londe fro here aires To religion.

c1425 J. Lydgate Troyyes Bk. (Augustus A.iv) ii. l. 1510 For whom I had..so gret ado Or I hir gat with spendyng of my blood.

1485 W. Caxton tr. Thystorye & Lyf Charles the Grete sig. liiij^v/1 And made nomore a doo to bere hym, than dooth a wulf to bere a lytel lambe.

1513 T. More Hist. Edward V 6 His Mother the Dutches had much adoe in her travell.

1548 N. Udall et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. I. Mark v. f. 27 She had with muche ado wounde her selfe out of the prease of people.

1563 2nd Tome Homelyes ii. ii. f. 29 Saint Paule..had muche adoo for the staying of that matter.

1650 T. Fuller Pisgah-sight of Palestine iv. vi. 105 Their clothes were made large and loose, easie to be put on, without any adoe.

1684 J. Paton in Cloud of Witnesses (1714) 213 Give him much ado, for we have much ado for him.

1742 J. Wesley Jrnl. 5 Feb. in Wks. (1990) XIX. 250 I had much ado to sit my horse.

1775 H. L. Thrale Jrnl. 18 Oct. in French Jrnls. Mrs. Thrale & Dr. Johnson (1932) 124 He did win a Louis of Johnson & fifteen Livers of myself at last with much ado.

1850 T. Carlyle Latter-day Pamphlets i. 56 Unhewed forests, quaking bogs;—which we shall have our own ados to make arable and habitable.

1876 E. A. Freeman Hist. Norman Conquest I. iii. 129 Tribes which the Kings had much ado to keep in even nominal subjection.

1923 G. Watson Roxburghshire Word-bk. 39 She has 'er ain adaes, wi' a no-weel man.

1955 H. St. J. Philby Sa‘udi Arabia ii. 39 He had much ado to calm the fears of his host.

1991 R. Brookhiser Way of WASP (1992) iv. 43 Though they did not speak the language..they fitted in without much ado.

B. adj.² (and adv.) Originally and chiefly Scottish.

In predicative use: = adoing adj. what's ado?: what's wrong (with a person)? Formerly also as adv.: †at work; astir (obsolete).

ΚΠ

1536 in J. D. Marwick Extracts Rec. Burgh Edinb. (1871) II. 77 The occasioun that is now ado.

1577 W. Fleetwood in H. Ellis Orig. Lett. Eng. Hist. (1827) 2nd Ser. III. 56 Upon Thursday there was nothing ado but preaching of Sermondes.

1596 J. Dalrymple tr. J. Leslie Hist. Scotl. (1895) II. 109 Quhateuir was ado in the Realme.

1629 J. Earle Micro-cosmogr. (ed. 5) xxvii. sig. F3^v Onely an eager bustling, that rather keepes adoe, then do's any thing.

1650 J. Row & J. Row Hist. Kirk Scotl. (1842) 291 The tryell of presbyteries is the principall thing that is ado at this tyme.

1698 J. Newton in Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 20 263 How now, what is here ado?

a1774 R. Fergusson Poems Var. Subj. (1779) 53 Death, what's ado? the de'il be licket.

1832 T. Fowler Jrnl. Tour through Brit. Amer. 231 The villagers ran to the doors and windows to see what was ado.

1863 E. C. Gaskell Sylvia's Lovers III. v. 76 ‘Why! Philip, what's ado? How ill yo' look, man!’ exclaimed he, thoroughly alarmed by Philip's ghastly appearance.

1901 ‘G. Douglas’ House with Green Shutters xxv. 281 ‘What's ado wi' the fellow?’ cried Gourlay.

1998 N. Harper Spik o the Place at Adee A word heard very rarely on its own; more often as part of the friendly query: ‘Fit's adee?’, meaning ‘What's wrong?’

2003 R. J. Daniel End of Era xii. 244 Her arrival with the little dogs was always an event with sweets and Meadowland apples for the children who came to see what was ado.

Phrases

much ado about nothing and variants: a great deal of fuss or trouble over nothing of any significance.Later use is often influenced by the title of Shakespeare's play; cf. quot. 1600.

ΚΠ

1574 J. Whitgift Def. Aunswere to Admon. 637 How dare you..make so much adoe about nothing.

1600 W. Shakespeare (title) Much adoe about nothing.

1669 Songs Alamode in New Acad. Complements 234 Your Lad that makes love to a delicate smooth thing..Frequently makes much ado about nothing.

1749 H. Fielding Tom Jones II. v. iii. 127 (heading) Which all, who have no Heart, will think to contain much ado about nothing .

1781 F. Hopkinson Misc. Ess. (1792) I. 163 (title) The march to the Valley Forge; or much ado about nothing.

1847 Fine Arts Jrnl. 30 Jan. 196/2 Pity to take so much trouble—so much ado about nothing!

1920 San Francisco Chron. 30 May e3/1 There is an impression of a good deal of ado about nothing.

1945 C. Headlam Diary 24 Jan. in S. Ball Parl. & Politics in Age Churchill & Attlee (1999) xiii. 443 There was a debate today about compulsory service for A.T.S. overseas—I did not listen to much of it because it seemed to me much ado about nothing.

1991 N.Y. Times 10 Dec. a19/4 Much of the hand-wringing over the control of nuclear weapons really is much ado about nothing.

2000 Sci. News 11 Nov. 314/1 The frenetic scurrying of ants..may seem like much ado about nothing. There's method in their madness, however.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2011; most recently modified version published online December 2021).

单词	ado
释义	adon.adj.²adv. Brit. /əˈduː/, U.S. /əˈdu/, Scottish English /əˈdu/ Inflections: Plural adoes, ados. Forms: α. Middle English at do, Middle English at done. β. Middle English–1500s (1800s– English regional) adoo, Middle English–1700s adoe, Middle English– ado, 1500s adooe, 1500s adow, 1500s adew; Scottish pre-1700 addo, pre-1700 adoe, pre-1700 adou, pre-1700 adow, pre-1700 1700s– ado, pre-1700 1800s adoo, 1700s adi, 1800s adeu (Orkney), 1800s adowe, 1800s adü (Shetland), 1800s– adae, 1800s– adee. Origin: Formed within English, by compounding. Etymons: at prep., do v. Etymology: < at prep. (compare at prep. VI.) + do v., in β. forms with reduction of the first syllable (compare discussion at a- prefix¹); perhaps ultimately reflecting influence from early Scandinavian (compare discussion at at prep. VI.). Compare to-do n. With use as adjective compare earlier adoing adj. Compare also do v. Phrases 1. Originally a verbal present infinitive construction (see A. 1), which, when used predicatively with have v. (see have v. VII.) complemented by a pronominal object such as enough , little , much , was reinterpreted as a noun qualified by an adjective, leading to use with other adjectives in phrases such as to have great ado (compare quot. c1425 at sense A. 4), which in turn led to independent uses as noun. With to have ado compare also Old French avoir a faire , avoir afaire (see affair n.). A. n. 1. Chiefly Scottish and English regional (northern). As infinitive. to have ado: to have (or need) to do.Occasionally with other verbs in Scottish and English regional (northern) use. ΚΠ a1300 Rhyming Charter (Sawyer 457) in W. de G. Birch Cartularium Saxonicum (1887) II. 326 Yat ye land of seint Wilfrai..fre sal be ay; At na nan [read man]..In yair Herpsac sal have at do. a1425 (?a1400) G. Chaucer Romaunt Rose (Hunterian) (1891) l. 5080 I wole that they to gedre go And don al that they han ado [Fr. et facent quanqu'il doivent faire]. a1425 Edward, Duke of York Master of Game (Digby) Prol. 144 For he hath ynogh at done to ride or fote wele with his houndes. 1469 A. Scales in Paston Lett. & Papers (2004) II. 572 My fader and I must..shewe vnto hym oure gode assystens..in such maters as he shall haue a doo. 1487 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (St. John's Cambr.) x. 349 I mycht nocht suffice thar-to, Sa mekill suld be thare ado. a1500 (a1460) Towneley Plays (1994) I. xx. 239 (MED) We haue othere thyngys at do. a1557 J. Cheke tr. Gospel St. Matthew (1843) vi. 38 Eueri dai hath inough adoo with her own troble. 1563 2nd Tome Homelyes sig. Oooo.i^v To haue any thing adoo with him. 1603 Philotus lxxvii. sig. C4^v Ze sall gang and prouyde, Ane Pages claithis in the meine tyde, For all occasions me besyde, Against I haue ado. 1637 G. Gillespie Dispute against Eng.-Popish Ceremonies i. viii. 25 We are dead to them, and have nothing adoe with them. a1752 in R. Erskine Serm. & Pract. Wks. (1765) II. xciii. 136/1 Let them slay and overcome, lest my people forget their prayers, and forget my promise, and forget what they have ado for me, and what I have ado for them. 1792 R. Burns Hey, Ca' thro' in J. Johnson Scots Musical Museum IV. 392 Hey, ca' thro', ca' thro', For we hae mickle ado! 1820 J. Hogg Winter Evening Tales II. 247 I wonder what he had ado in appearing to me? 1845 P. Still Cottar's Sunday 145 There's nocht ado but bar the door An' rest the fire. 1971 in Sc. National Dict. (1974) IX. 283/2 I'll hae plenty adee atween this and Whitsunday. 2. Action, activity; work, business; fuss. without further (also more) ado, with no more ado: without further fuss or ceremony; immediately. Formerly also (Scottish) †as a count noun (obsolete). Cf. to-do n. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > manner of action > vigour or energy > [noun] > briskness or activeness > bustle or fuss to-doc1330 adoc1380 great (also much) cry and little woolc1460 feery-fary1535 fray1568 stirc1595 do1598 coil1599 hurl1603 ruffle1609 clutterment1611 buzz1628 bustle1637 paddle1642 racket1644 clutter1652 tracas1656 tracasserie1656 circumference1667 flutter1667 hurly-burly1678 fuss1701 fissle1719 fraise1725 hurry-scurry1753 fix-fax1768 fal-lal1775 widdle1789 touse1792 fuffle1801 going-on1817 hurry and scurry1823 sputter1823 tew1825 Bob's-a-dying1829 fidge1832 tamasha1842 mulling1845 mussing1846 fettling1847 fooster1847 trade1854 scrimmage1855 carry-on1861 fuss-and-feathers1866 on-carry1870 make-a-do1880 miration1883 razzle-dazzle1885 song and dance1885 to get a rustle on1891 tea-party1903 stirabout1905 whoop-de-do1910 chichi1928 production1941 go-go1966 c1380 Sir Ferumbras (1879) 1495 (MED) Þe lordes buþ þan a-paste wyþ-oute more a-do. Promptorium Parvulorum (Harl. 221) 7 A-do, or grete bysynesse, sollicitudo. 1489 W. Caxton tr. C. de Pisan Bk. Fayttes of Armes ii. xxxviii. 160 They that by the see wol go, be it in armee or to som other adoo. 1535 Bible (Coverdale) Psalms xlv. 6 The Heithen are madd, the kyngdomes make much adoo. 1554 in J. Stuart Misc. Spalding Club (1842) II. 276 To serf the said Lord and Maister..in all thair caussis and querrellis, bissenes and adois. 1597 W. Shakespeare Romeo & Juliet iii. iv. 23 Wee'le make no great a doe, a frend or two. View more context for this quotation a1646 J. Row Hist. Kirk Scotl. (1842) 162 The King's Majestie..imployed them at his pleasure in some particular adoes. 1691 A. D'Anvers Academia 22 Whop Sir, thought I, and what ado's here? 1725 A. Ramsay Gentle Shepherd v. i What ails thee, gowk! to mak sae loud ado? 1755 B. Martin Mag. Arts & Sci. iii. xi. 237 The Ancients made much more ado about this Season of the Year than we. 1834 H. Taylor Philip Van Arteveld ii. iv, in Wks. I. 325 We shall have much ado with this good town. 1839 C. F. Briggs Adventures Harry Franco I. xii. 83 And without more ado, he took hold of my heels and dragged me out on to the floor before I had time to make any resistance. 1841 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. Aug. 157/2 Where there is no House of Commons, every man will make more ado with his own house. 1859 J. Griffiths Two Bks. Homilies 178 (note) That any true christian ought to have any ado with filthy and dead images. 1905 Cent. Mag. Jan. 472/2 ‘Hi, man,’ says he, ‘gimme a leg; up wid you; up you goes!’ An' wid no more ado I was pickaback. 1997 M. Keyes Rachel's Holiday xliv. 378 Then without further ado..he turned on his heel and strode off down the street, leaving me staring slack-jawed after him. 3. A relationship, interaction, or connection; dealings, concerns; spec. †sexual intercourse (obsolete); (also) a hostile or military encounter. Only in to have ado with; cf. to have to do with (also †mid, †of, †on) at do v. Phrases 1b(a). Now archaic and rare. ΚΠ 1400 G. ap Dafydd ap Gruffudd Let. 11 June in H. Ellis Orig. Lett. Eng. Hist. (1827) 2nd Ser. I. 6 (MED) Sr. Ric. Kakin..With the qwych I had neuer ado nor no covenande made. a1425 (?a1400) G. Chaucer Romaunt Rose (Hunterian) (1891) l. 3036 And yitt hadde trespasse neuer adoo With Resoun ne neuer ley hir bye. c1450 Alphabet of Tales (1904) I. 179 (MED) He lay by hur & had at do with hur. c1500 Melusine (1895) 262 I doubte me to haue shortly a strong werre & to haue a doo with a strong partye. 1570 in B. Cusack Everyday Eng. 1500–1700 (1998) 18 He said that he the said Robert had had ado w^th her. 1590 E. Spenser Faerie Queene iii. vii. 58 [She] flat refusd to have adoe with mee, Because I could not give her many a Jane. 1742 A. Gib Warning against countenancing Ministrations George Whitefield 57 Their Consolations and Assurance meet with frequent Interruptions, because they have ado with a holy God, who chastises for Unholiness. 1907 F. B. T. Coutts-Nevill Romance of King Arthur 205 Sir Launcelot, on your peril draw not near; For all that have ado with me repent. 1922 J. Joyce Ulysses ii. 369 They had had ado each with other in the house of misericord where this learning knight lay. 4. Trouble, difficulty; frequently in with (also without) much ado. Also as a count noun, frequently in to have one's own ados (now Scottish). ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > difficulty > types of difficulty > [noun] > difficulty, trouble, or bother clondc1275 businessa1387 adoc1400 importunityc1475 fatigue1669 bother1761 botherment1821 picnic1896 palaver1899 hassle1959 the world > action or operation > manner of action > effort or exertion > [noun] > trouble taken to accomplish anything whilec1175 painc1330 pine?c1335 teenc1380 adoc1400 labourc1405 painsc1480 trouble1577 fatigue1669 c1400 (?a1387) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Huntington HM 137) (1873) C. vi. l. 164 Lytel hadde lordes a-do to ȝeue londe fro here aires To religion. c1425 J. Lydgate Troyyes Bk. (Augustus A.iv) ii. l. 1510 For whom I had..so gret ado Or I hir gat with spendyng of my blood. 1485 W. Caxton tr. Thystorye & Lyf Charles the Grete sig. liiij^v/1 And made nomore a doo to bere hym, than dooth a wulf to bere a lytel lambe. 1513 T. More Hist. Edward V 6 His Mother the Dutches had much adoe in her travell. 1548 N. Udall et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. I. Mark v. f. 27 She had with muche ado wounde her selfe out of the prease of people. 1563 2nd Tome Homelyes ii. ii. f. 29 Saint Paule..had muche adoo for the staying of that matter. 1650 T. Fuller Pisgah-sight of Palestine iv. vi. 105 Their clothes were made large and loose, easie to be put on, without any adoe. 1684 J. Paton in Cloud of Witnesses (1714) 213 Give him much ado, for we have much ado for him. 1742 J. Wesley Jrnl. 5 Feb. in Wks. (1990) XIX. 250 I had much ado to sit my horse. 1775 H. L. Thrale Jrnl. 18 Oct. in French Jrnls. Mrs. Thrale & Dr. Johnson (1932) 124 He did win a Louis of Johnson & fifteen Livers of myself at last with much ado. 1850 T. Carlyle Latter-day Pamphlets i. 56 Unhewed forests, quaking bogs;—which we shall have our own ados to make arable and habitable. 1876 E. A. Freeman Hist. Norman Conquest I. iii. 129 Tribes which the Kings had much ado to keep in even nominal subjection. 1923 G. Watson Roxburghshire Word-bk. 39 She has 'er ain adaes, wi' a no-weel man. 1955 H. St. J. Philby Sa‘udi Arabia ii. 39 He had much ado to calm the fears of his host. 1991 R. Brookhiser Way of WASP (1992) iv. 43 Though they did not speak the language..they fitted in without much ado. B. adj.² (and adv.) Originally and chiefly Scottish. In predicative use: = adoing adj. what's ado?: what's wrong (with a person)? Formerly also as adv.: †at work; astir (obsolete). ΚΠ 1536 in J. D. Marwick Extracts Rec. Burgh Edinb. (1871) II. 77 The occasioun that is now ado. 1577 W. Fleetwood in H. Ellis Orig. Lett. Eng. Hist. (1827) 2nd Ser. III. 56 Upon Thursday there was nothing ado but preaching of Sermondes. 1596 J. Dalrymple tr. J. Leslie Hist. Scotl. (1895) II. 109 Quhateuir was ado in the Realme. 1629 J. Earle Micro-cosmogr. (ed. 5) xxvii. sig. F3^v Onely an eager bustling, that rather keepes adoe, then do's any thing. 1650 J. Row & J. Row Hist. Kirk Scotl. (1842) 291 The tryell of presbyteries is the principall thing that is ado at this tyme. 1698 J. Newton in Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 20 263 How now, what is here ado? a1774 R. Fergusson Poems Var. Subj. (1779) 53 Death, what's ado? the de'il be licket. 1832 T. Fowler Jrnl. Tour through Brit. Amer. 231 The villagers ran to the doors and windows to see what was ado. 1863 E. C. Gaskell Sylvia's Lovers III. v. 76 ‘Why! Philip, what's ado? How ill yo' look, man!’ exclaimed he, thoroughly alarmed by Philip's ghastly appearance. 1901 ‘G. Douglas’ House with Green Shutters xxv. 281 ‘What's ado wi' the fellow?’ cried Gourlay. 1998 N. Harper Spik o the Place at Adee A word heard very rarely on its own; more often as part of the friendly query: ‘Fit's adee?’, meaning ‘What's wrong?’ 2003 R. J. Daniel End of Era xii. 244 Her arrival with the little dogs was always an event with sweets and Meadowland apples for the children who came to see what was ado. Phrases much ado about nothing and variants: a great deal of fuss or trouble over nothing of any significance.Later use is often influenced by the title of Shakespeare's play; cf. quot. 1600. ΚΠ 1574 J. Whitgift Def. Aunswere to Admon. 637 How dare you..make so much adoe about nothing. 1600 W. Shakespeare (title) Much adoe about nothing. 1669 Songs Alamode in New Acad. Complements 234 Your Lad that makes love to a delicate smooth thing..Frequently makes much ado about nothing. 1749 H. Fielding Tom Jones II. v. iii. 127 (heading) Which all, who have no Heart, will think to contain much ado about nothing . View more context for this quotation 1781 F. Hopkinson Misc. Ess. (1792) I. 163 (title) The march to the Valley Forge; or much ado about nothing. 1847 Fine Arts Jrnl. 30 Jan. 196/2 Pity to take so much trouble—so much ado about nothing! 1920 San Francisco Chron. 30 May e3/1 There is an impression of a good deal of ado about nothing. 1945 C. Headlam Diary 24 Jan. in S. Ball Parl. & Politics in Age Churchill & Attlee (1999) xiii. 443 There was a debate today about compulsory service for A.T.S. overseas—I did not listen to much of it because it seemed to me much ado about nothing. 1991 N.Y. Times 10 Dec. a19/4 Much of the hand-wringing over the control of nuclear weapons really is much ado about nothing. 2000 Sci. News 11 Nov. 314/1 The frenetic scurrying of ants..may seem like much ado about nothing. There's method in their madness, however. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2011; most recently modified version published online December 2021). † adoadj.¹ Forms: 1500s ado, 1500s adoo, 1600s adoe. Origin: A variant or alteration of another lexical item. Etymons: English ydo , do v. Etymology: Variant of ydo, past participle of do v. (see Forms 7γ. at that entry), with reduction of the vowel in the first syllable (compare a- prefix²). Obsolete. As past participle. Done; esp. in to have ado: to be done (with); to cease from (cf. do v. 10b). dead for ado: = dead and done at dead adj. 32a. once for ado: once and for all. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > ceasing > cease from (an action or operation) [verb (transitive)] aswikec975 linOE beleavec1175 forletc1175 i-swikec1175 restc1175 stutte?c1225 lina1300 blinc1314 to give overc1325 to do wayc1350 stintc1366 finisha1375 leavea1375 yleavec1380 to leave offa1382 refuse1389 ceasec1410 resigna1413 respite?a1439 relinquish1454 surcease1464 discontinue1474 unfill1486 supersede1499 desist1509 to have ado?1515 stop1525 to lay aside1530 stay1538 quata1614 to lay away1628 sist1635 quita1642 to throw up1645 to lay by1709 to come off1715 unbuckle1736 peter1753 to knock off1767 stash1794 estop1796 stow1806 cheese1811 to chuck itc1879 douse1887 nark1889 to stop off1891 stay1894 sling1902 can1906 to lay off1908 to pack in1934 to pack up1934 to turn in1938 to break down1941 to tie a can to (or on)1942 to jack in1948 to wrap it up1949 the world > time > relative time > the past > [adjective] > firmly in the past or done with dead and gone1482 deada1616 dead for adoa1638 dead and buried1863 dead and done (for, with)1886 the world > relative properties > order > order, sequence, or succession > end or conclusion > the end [phrase] > as a final act or once for all once for alla1400 for good1476 for best1641 once for ado1642 once and for all1814 ?1515 Hyckescorner (de Worde) sig. B.i^v Haue ado lyghtly and be gone. c1557 Enterlude of Youth (new ed.) sig. Bi Youth I pray thee haue a doo And to the tauerne let vs go. a1638 J. Mede Wks. (1672) iii. ix. 599 If the Cæsarean state may revive..how shall we ever know when it is dead for adoe? 1642 D. Rogers Naaman 849 Be persuaded to settle once for adoe upon the promise. a1648 T. Davies in Graphic & Hist. Illustr. (1832) I. xxii. 343 Dost thinke 'chill labor to be poore, No, no, ich have a doe..Ich will a plundring too. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2011; most recently modified version published online March 2021). > see also also refers to : -adosuffix < n.adj.²adv.a1300adj.¹?1515 see also
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adon.adj.2adv.

Phrases

† adoadj.1

> see also

adon.adj.²adv.

† adoadj.¹