ɡud adj., n., & adv. --adj. (better, best) 1 having
the right or desired qualities;
satisfactory,
adequate. 2 a (of a person)
efficient,
competent (good at
French; a good driver). b (of a thing)
reliable, efficient (good brakes). c (of
health etc.)
strong (good eyesight). 3 a kind,
benevolent (good of
you to come). b morally
excellent;
virtuous (a good deed). c
charitable (good works). d well-behaved (a good child). 4
enjoyable,
agreeable (a good party; good news). 5
thorough,
considerable (gave it a good wash). 6 a
not less than (waited a good hour). b considerable in
number,
quality, etc. (a good
many people). 7
healthy,
beneficial (milk is good
for you). 8 a
valid,
sound (a good reason). b financially sound (his
credit is good). 9 in exclamations of
surprise (good heavens!). 10 right,
proper,
expedient (thought it good to
have a try). 11
fresh,
eatable,
untainted (is the
meat still good?). 12 (sometimes patronizing)
commendable,
worthy (good
old George;
your good
lady wife; good
men and true; my good man). 13 well shaped,
attractive (has good legs; good looks). 14 in
courteous greetings and farewells (good afternoon). --n. 1 (only in sing.)
that which is good;
what is beneficial or morally right (only good can
come of
it;
did it for your
own good; what good will it do?). 2 (only in sing.) a
desirable end or
object; a
thing worth attaining (sacrificing the present for a
future good). 3 (in pl.) a
movable property or
merchandise. b
Brit. things to be transported, as
distinct from passengers. c (prec. by the) colloq. what
one has undertaken to supply (esp.
deliver the goods). d (prec. by the) sl. the real thing; the
genuine article. 4 (as
pl.; prec. by the) virtuous
people. --adv. US colloq. well (doing
pretty good). øas good as
practically (he as good as
told me). be so good as (or be good enough) to (often in a request) be kind and do (a favour) (be so good as to
open the window). be (a
certain amount) to the good have as
net profit or
advantage. do good
show kindness,
act philanthropically. do a
person good be beneficial
to. for good (and all) finally, permanently. good and colloq. used as an
intensifier before an adj. or adv. (raining good and
hard;
was good and angry). the good
book the
Bible. good
breeding correct or courteous manners. good
faith see FAITH. good for 1 beneficial to; having a good
effect on. 2
able to
perform; inclined for (good for a ten-mile walk). 3 able to be trusted to pay (is good for ø100). good
form see FORM. good-for-nothing (or -nought) adj.
worthless. --n. a worthless person. good for you! (or him!, her!, etc.)
exclamation of
approval towards a person. Good
Friday the Friday before
Easter Sunday commemorating the
Crucifixion of
Christ. good-hearted kindly, well-meaning. good
humour a genial mood. a good job a
fortunate state of affairs (it's a good job you
came early). good-looker a
handsome or attractive person. good-looking handsome; attractive. good
luck 1 good
fortune,
happy chance. 2 exclamation of well-wishing. good
money 1 genuine money; money that might usefully have
been spent elsewhere. 2 colloq.
high wages. good
nature a
friendly disposition. good
oil Austral. sl. reliable
information. good on you! (or him! etc.) = good for you! goods and chattels see
CHATTEL. good-time recklessly pursuing
pleasure. good-timer a person
who recklessly pursues pleasure. good times a
period of
prosperity. good will the
intention and
hope that good will
result (see
also GOODWILL). a good
word (often in phr. put in a good word for) words in recommendation or
defence of a person. good works charitable acts. have a good
mind see MIND. have the goods on a person sl. have advantageous information
about a person. have a good
time enjoy oneself. in a person's good books see BOOK. in good faith
with honest or
sincere intentions. in good time 1 with no
risk of
being late. 2 (also
all in good time) in
due course but
without haste.
make good 1 make up for,
compensate for, pay (an expense). 2
fulfil (a promise); effect (a
purpose or an
intended action). 3
demonstrate the
truth of (a statement);
substantiate (a charge). 4
gain and hold (a position). 5
replace or
restore (a thing
lost or damaged). 6 (absol.)
accomplish what one intended. no good 1
mischief (is up to no good). 2
useless; to no advantage (it is no good arguing). no-good --adj. useless. --n. a useless thing or person.
take in good
part not be offended
by. to the good having as profit or
benefit. øøgoodish adj. [OE
god f. Gmc]