What can I do you for?

Posted by Baceseras on February 26, 2008 at 15:53:

In Reply to: What can I do you for? posted by James Briggs on February 26, 2008 at 10:37:

: : "What can I do you for?" I have come across this question a few times... but I must say I was completely clueless as to what it meant or whether it was just bad English.. later I heard that it had some sexual connotation... can anyone explain?

: It simply means 'is there anything that I can do for you that will help in your particular situation?'. It's usually a genuine offer of help, and could be used by shop assistants to customers who are looking a little lost. Nothing sexual about it.

"What can I do you for?" is a playful inversion of "What can I do for you?" The sense of the question remains the same; the wordplay has no purport beyond harmless foolery and may be safely ignored.