See Also: McAdam, John (Loudon)(encyclopedia)
Little John(dictionary)
John I(encyclopedia)
John(dictionary)
Jay, John(encyclopedia)
Van John(dictionary)
Law, John(encyclopedia)
john(medicine)
Jay, John(dictionary)
Gay, John(encyclopedia)

do(1) (iou) and McAdam, John (Loudon) (sh)


do(1) (iou)



do noun1. [du:] Pl. dos, do's. L16.
[from DO verb.]
a. The action of doing; that which is done; business, concern; in pl., affairs. Now rare or obsolete. L16.
O. Cromwell It's probable the Kirk has done their doo.
b. Something done in a set or elaborate manner; an Entertainment; a party, a social function; a military engagement. colloq. E19.
poor do: see POOR adjective.
B. Bainbridge Met him at a masonic do last year.
c. sing. & (usu.) in pl. Behaviour towards someone, treatment. Chiefly in fair dos, equitable treatment, fair shares. colloq. M19.
Commotion, trouble; a fuss, an ado. obsolete exc. dial. L16.
A swindle; an imposture; a hoax. slang. E19.
A Success. Only in make a do of. Austral. & NZ colloq. E20.
An instruction; an injunction to do something. Usu. in pl. in dos and don'ts. E20.
= hairdo s.v. HAIR noun. colloq. E20.
Excrement. nursery & slang. L20.
Comb.: do-rag US Black slang a scarf or cloth worn to protect one's hairstyle.

McAdam, John (Loudon) (sh)




born Sept. 21, 1756, Ayr, Ayrshire, Scot.
died Nov. 26, 1836, Moffat, Dumfriesshire

Scottish inventor of the macadam road surface.

He made an early fortune in his uncle's New York countinghouse (1770-83). Back in Scotland, he noted the poor condition of the highways near his estate and undertook experiments in road making. He recommended that roads be raised above the adjacent ground for good drainage and covered, first with larger stones and then with smaller stones, the whole mass to be bound with fine gravel or slag. In 1823 his views were officially adopted, and in 1827 he was appointed Britain's Surveyor General of Metropolitan Roads. Macadamization was quickly adopted in Other countries and did much to facilitate Travel and communication.