do time

do time

slang To serve a prison sentence. Did you hear that Rick's an ex-con? He did time back in the '70s. If you keep stealing things, you might ending up doing time one day.
See also: time
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

do time

Sl. to serve a sentence in prison; to serve a specific amount of time in prison. Lefty had done time on a number of occasions. You'd better talk and talk fast if you don't want to do time.
See also: time
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

do time

Serve a prison sentence, as in Many of the gang members did time while they were still teenagers. This expression originated as underworld slang and is now standard usage. [c. 1860]
See also: time
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

do/serve ˈtime

(informal) be in prison: He had done time for robbing a bank. Two of the gang are serving time for murder.
See also: serve, time
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

do time

tv. to serve a sentence in prison; to serve a specific amount of time in prison. (see also hard time.) You’d better talk and talk fast if you don’t want to do time.
See also: time
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
See also:
  • do/serve time
  • time
  • time out
  • con job
  • easy mark
  • in the act
  • up the river
  • cow (someone) into (something)
  • cow into
  • eat (away) at (someone's) conscience
References in periodicals archive
Destes, 39,4% nao acompanham jogos de futebol, 9,4% acompanham os jogos do time que torce, 3,2% acompanham todos os jogos do time que torce, 22,8% acompanham jogos e programas que debatem o futebol e 25,2% acompanham quando lembram ou quando ha tempo disponivel.
Os resultados demonstraram que 28,9% dos respondentes nao reconhecem nenhuma marca patrocinadora do time que torce e 71,1% reconhecem.
Quando a influencia das marcas patrocinadoras na decisao de compra dos respondentes obteve-se que 7,8% compram produtos devido ao patrocinio ao time que torce, enquanto 92,2% relataram nao haver influencia na decisao de compra pelo fato de uma marca ser patrocinadora do time que torce.
Outro ponto abordado na pesquisa referiu-se a aquisicao da camisa oficial do time de futebol.
Quando ao reconhecimento das marcas patrocinadoras dos times de futebol, parte significativa dos respondentes (28,9%) nao reconhece nenhuma marca patrocinadora do time que torce.
Recognition of sponsoring brands of Brazilian Football teams/RECONHECIMENTO DAS MARCAS PATROCINADORAS DOS TIMES DE FUTEBOL BRASILEIRO
FEELING THE HEAT: Vance Miller is set to do time again
INVESTIGATE: Stay out of the kitchen
For younger YAs who have parents in prison, this book brings to light the reality that kids do time too.
Walker, Jan. An inmate's daughter
The row is not a place you do time; it is a place you spend time, a place where you wait.
Live from Death Row
This place that you must do time, oh why is there such a place where time goes slow, so slow for many of us that are doing time in this place.
This place