make do
No objectThis verb takes no object at all.
How to say it
Stress the particle, not the verb: make DO. Saying “MAKE do” is the clearest learner tell — the verb stays light and the particle carries the beat.
Do not release the /k/. Before the consonant of “do” the stop is held and swallowed rather than popped — the same unreleased-stop move as in hot dog. One smooth unit: “make do”.
What it means
To manage with whatever is available, even if it is not ideal.
- “We'll have to make do with what's in the fridge.”
- “They made do on one income for years.”
Similar: manage, cope