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Reader question: Please explain “he did himself few favors” in this sentence: He did himself few favors by making silly comments and turning himself into an easy target. My comments: That means he’s doing himself no good by making silly comments and things like that. In other words, these comments do not help because they turn himself into an easy target (draw criticism and bad publicity). Still in other words, they were not doing him a service, but a disservice. If he keeps doing things like that (making silly comments), he’ll ruin his chances of success and have only himself to blame. Two points here, the concept of favors and the phrase “do somebody a favor”. First, a favor essentially is something helpful. And if you do somebody a favor, you offer them some sort of help. “Do me a favor, please and turn off that light.” In this, you’re asking someone to lend you a hand. In short, favors are meant to be helpful – they help people along, leading them up to a more FAVORable position. Doing them few favors on the other hand means that you’re not being helpful. One of my favorite favor-currying anecdotes is this passage in Joseph Heller’s anti-war novel Catch 22, in which Yossarian, who no longer wants to fly bombing missions, comes to ask for help from Doc Daneeca: Yossarian would persuade McWatt to enter Doc Daneeka’s name on his flight log for training missions or trips to Rome. | 
