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to do time
01
to serve a prison sentence, typically as a punishment for a crime or offense
Slang
What does "to do time" mean in criminal justice slang?
The structure combines "do" (to serve or complete) with "time" (a prison sentence measured in months or years), forming a verb phrase that treats incarceration as a period to be endured. It is used to describe serving a prison sentence, typically as a punishment for a crime or offense, emphasizing the duration rather than the location. People typically say someone "did time" when discussing past convictions, such as "He did five years for robbery" or "She's doing time upstate."
Examples
He did time for his involvement in the robbery.
