What it means
Means getting off with someone or getting a bit physical without spelling out the full play-by-play. It's cheeky, vague, and very UK, especially in Love Island chat where people wanted a TV-safe way to admit something definitely happened. Sometimes people stretch it to mean making progress in general, but most of the time it's about romantic or sexual messing about.
Usage examples
"Everyone could tell those two were doing bits because they kept disappearing for twenty minutes and coming back looking well flustered."
"Lola swore she just chatted with him in the kitchen at the house party, but the others reckon they were doing bits behind the wheelie bin on the patio for at least twenty minutes."
"Boys reckon they did bits with three girls each on the lads holiday in Magaluf, and somehow they all came home with the same hoodie from the gift shop and zero phone numbers."
"He kept saying they were just cuddling, but nobody buys that. You don't vanish into the spare room at 2am for a little chat. You were doing bits, mate."
"She texted the group saying she definitely wasn't doing bits with her ex, then turned up wearing his hoodie and grinning like a menace."
Where it comes from
It went properly mainstream in the UK off Love Island in 2018, where contestants used doing bits as a coy, TV-safe way to admit something sexual had happened without giving the full bedroom commentary. The phrase existed before in other senses, but that dating meaning is what really stuck in everyday chat.
Other ways to say it
Editors of this term
Your vote counts
Is this real street talk or have we lost the plot? Cast your vote.
We look after this expression together
If they say it where you live and something is missing here, bring it. A magikito looks at it and adds it.
- An example
- Your patch
- Your voice