do duty as

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Having reached Safeway with no fatalities, Stassin and I ordered our respective Loomos to trail us, so that they could do duty as shopping carts.

From The New Yorker • Nov. 19, 2018

Even this story has been made to do duty as showing the ecclesiastical opposition to dissection and the advancement of anatomical knowledge.

From The Popes and Science The History of the Papal Relations to Science During the Middle Ages and Down to Our Own Time by Walsh, James J.

It was one part of Mabberly’s plan that he and his friends should do duty as part of the crew.

From The Eagle Cliff by Ballantyne, R. M. (Robert Michael)

In that plight they might be seen some years ago, may still possibly be seen—empty, dusty, dreary—ranged above ground-floor premises which do duty as a parcels' conveyance office, and abutting on a mean, ill-kept yard.

From Stories of Authors, British and American by Chubb, Edwin Watts

But made to do duty as a daub, it is unjustifiable.

From Ainslee's, Vol. 15, No. 5, June 1905 by Various