Reader's Digest 10月号の記事 'Who Knew? 13 Ways Your Cell Phone Affects Your Body and Mind"からの引用です。
Your phone can do a number on your eyes. About 60 percent of Americans experience digital eye strain sympptoms, such as dryness, irritation, blurred vision, eye fatigue, and headaches. Try blinking often, increasing font size, and taking a break from screens every 20 minutes.
"do a number on your eyes" はこの後の文からすると悪い影響を与える内容ですが、"do a number on" は慣用句の様なので辞書を見ます。
・Oxford English Dictionary: Treat someone badly, typically by deceiving, humiliating, or criticizing them in a calculated and thorough way.: I think all those hallucinogens you took back in the 70's really did a number on you.
・McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs: to damage or harm someone or something.: The teacher did a number on the whole class by giving them a pop quiz. Tom did a number on Mary when he went out with Ann.
・Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary: hurt, damage or criticize somebody/something seriously: Sun and pollution can really do a number on your skin.
Your phone can do a number on your eyes. About 60 percent of Americans experience digital eye strain sympptoms, such as dryness, irritation, blurred vision, eye fatigue, and headaches. Try blinking often, increasing font size, and taking a break from screens every 20 minutes.
"do a number on your eyes" はこの後の文からすると悪い影響を与える内容ですが、"do a number on" は慣用句の様なので辞書を見ます。
・Oxford English Dictionary: Treat someone badly, typically by deceiving, humiliating, or criticizing them in a calculated and thorough way.: I think all those hallucinogens you took back in the 70's really did a number on you.
・McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs: to damage or harm someone or something.: The teacher did a number on the whole class by giving them a pop quiz. Tom did a number on Mary when he went out with Ann.
・Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary: hurt, damage or criticize somebody/something seriously: Sun and pollution can really do a number on your skin.
トータル
As far as its origins, the OED attributes the expression "to do a number on" to have first appeared in print in "The Unbelievable Dictionary of Hip Words (for Groovy People)" in 1967. It is a colloquial expression that has its origins in the African-American community.