do the needful
(India, Nigeria, dated, _, UK, idiomatic) To do what is necessary or required.
Definitions
(India, Nigeria, dated, _, UK, idiomatic) To do what is necessary or required.
“Until it's offered to him, and then it will be "For the good of the people......" Starmer will do the needful (maybe)”
— Bluesky· May 2026
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Show 1 more dictionary-style sense (imported)
To do what is necessary or required.
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🇬🇧About British & Irish slang slang
UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.
See all British & Irish slang slang on Slangora.
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Other words near "do the needful" (D)
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(idiomatic, British, Irish) To do what is described or what one would expect, with no further explanation needed.
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(transitive, idiomatic, informal) To execute a task or performance.
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(dated, idiomatic, now, chiefly, India) Absolutely not; definitely no.
- behoove62%
(transitive, chiefly, US) To befit, be appropriate or necessary to somebody. .