Do the needful

Posted 8 years ago by Jim Ciallella

Who knew the phrase "Do the needful" meant to "do that which is necessary"?

Me (to hosting company): It might be worth checking for, or notifying, customers to update these IPs. (since the host failed to update them after a large data center migration)

Host: We will do the needful to prevent this error.

I've been alive 28 years and don't think I've ever heard that phrase.

4 Comments

Evan Tishuk ~ 8 years ago

Sounds like a phrase that a native of India might say.

Elliot Ross ~ 8 years ago

I got ya - 44 years & have never heard it .....

John M. ~ 8 years ago

I just saw it today and decided to google it... Apparently it's an Indian-British phrase. whodathunk?

Walter ~ 6 years ago

After a few years of Hinglish I decided to poke some gentle fun at that very phrase

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