doings

Doings is the plural form of the noun doing, referring to acts, actions, or activities in general. It can describe the things that someone is engaged in, or denote a collection of events, occurrences, or affairs. In some contexts, doings can emphasize the content or result of those actions, rather than the process itself.

In everyday English, doing is far more common, and doings tends to appear in informal, humorous, or older prose. It is often used in phrases such as the doings of a town, the doings of a household, or the doings of a group, where the speaker signals a set of noteworthy activities or happenings. The term can carry a slightly evaluative or narrative tone, sometimes hinting at behavior, mischief, or curiosity about what has occurred.

Etymologically, doings is a regular formation from the verb do and the -ing noun derivation, with the plural -s added. Its sense as “deeds” or “affairs” has persisted in English for centuries, though it is less common in formal writing today. Doings is flexible enough to describe ordinary activities or to highlight unusual or entertaining events, depending on context and tone.

See also doing, action, deed. In most modern usage, doings is best reserved for informal narration or stylistic effect, while standard references to activity use doing or actions.