2 good
Function:
nounInflected forms:
plural goodsMeaning:
1 a [noncount] : morally good forces or influences ▪ the battle of good versus evil ▪ Teachers can be a strong force for good. ▪ the difference between good and bad b [count] : something that is right or good ▪ They had to sacrifice lesser goods for greater ones. ▪ What is life's highest/greatest good?
2 the good a [singular] : the pleasant things that happen to people ▪ You have to take the good with the bad. [=you have to accept both the good things and the bad things that happen to you] b [singular] : things that are morally proper or correct ▪ Parents must teach their children the difference between the good and the bad. c [plural] : morally good people ▪ She believes that the good go to heaven when they die and the bad go to hell. ▪ Only the good die young.
3 [noncount] : the part of someone that is kind, honest, generous, helpful, etc. ▪ They cherished the good [=goodness] in him, overlooking the bad. ▪ She believes there is some good in everyone.
4 [noncount] a : something that helps someone or something to be better, stronger, etc. ▪ She did it for the good of the community. [=to help the community] ▪ citizens working together for the common/public good [=to help or benefit everyone] ▪ I know you don't want to do this, but it's for your own good. [=it will make you stronger, better, etc.] ▪ They talk too much for their own good. [=they hurt themselves by talking too much] b : a useful or favorable result ▪ What good can possibly come of that? ▪ No good came of our efforts. = Our efforts came to no good. [=our efforts did not produce a good or useful result] —see also no good (below)
5 goods [plural] a : products that are made or grown in order to be sold : things for sale ▪ The store sells a variety of goods. ▪ baked/canned goods ▪ leather/paper goods ▪ perishable goods such as milk, eggs, and produce ▪ He's accused of selling stolen goods. ▪ goods and services ▪ a store that sells sporting goods [=products that are used for playing sports] —see also damaged goods, dry goods, durable goods, white goods b : things that are owned by a person ▪ He sold all of his worldly goods. [=all of his possessions] c Brit : products carried by trains, trucks, etc. : freight —used before another noun ▪ a goods lorry —see also goods train
2 the good a [singular] : the pleasant things that happen to people ▪ You have to take the good with the bad. [=you have to accept both the good things and the bad things that happen to you] b [singular] : things that are morally proper or correct ▪ Parents must teach their children the difference between the good and the bad. c [plural] : morally good people ▪ She believes that the good go to heaven when they die and the bad go to hell. ▪ Only the good die young.
3 [noncount] : the part of someone that is kind, honest, generous, helpful, etc. ▪ They cherished the good [=goodness] in him, overlooking the bad. ▪ She believes there is some good in everyone.
4 [noncount] a : something that helps someone or something to be better, stronger, etc. ▪ She did it for the good of the community. [=to help the community] ▪ citizens working together for the common/public good [=to help or benefit everyone] ▪ I know you don't want to do this, but it's for your own good. [=it will make you stronger, better, etc.] ▪ They talk too much for their own good. [=they hurt themselves by talking too much] b : a useful or favorable result ▪ What good can possibly come of that? ▪ No good came of our efforts. = Our efforts came to no good. [=our efforts did not produce a good or useful result] —see also no good (below)
5 goods [plural] a : products that are made or grown in order to be sold : things for sale ▪ The store sells a variety of goods. ▪ baked/canned goods ▪ leather/paper goods ▪ perishable goods such as milk, eggs, and produce ▪ He's accused of selling stolen goods. ▪ goods and services ▪ a store that sells sporting goods [=products that are used for playing sports] —see also damaged goods, dry goods, durable goods, white goods b : things that are owned by a person ▪ He sold all of his worldly goods. [=all of his possessions] c Brit : products carried by trains, trucks, etc. : freight —used before another noun ▪ a goods lorry —see also goods train
be any good
: to be useful or helpful ▪ Would an apology be any good? [=any use]
deliver the goods or chiefly Brit come up with the goods
informal : to produce the desired or promised results : to do what is wanted or expected ▪ We knew we could count on him to deliver the goods. [=get the job done]
do good
1 : to do kind or helpful things : to do things that help other people ▪ She tried to make the community better by doing good. ▪ She has done a lot of good in the community. —see also do-gooder
2 a : to be useful or helpful —used with any, much, some, etc. ▪ I tried to convince him to change his mind, but it didn't do any good. [=I was unable to convince him] ▪ He's been exercising more and it seems to be doing some good. ▪ You can try, but it probably won't do much good. ▪ It might do a little good. b : to be useful to or helpful for someone or something ▪ You should exercise more. It might do you (some) good. ▪ Weeding regularly will do your garden good. [=will improve your garden] ▪ The visit with her grandchildren did her a world/lot of good. = (Brit) The visit with her grandchildren did her a power of good. [=it was very good for her; it made her feel much better and happier] ◊If you do not think that something is helpful, useful, or worth doing, you can ask What good does it do?, What good is it?, What's the good of it?, etc. ▪ What good does it to do to bring an umbrella along [=why bring an umbrella along] if you are only going to leave it in the car? ▪ What good is a college education when you can't get a job after you graduate? ▪ What's the good of working hard if your boss doesn't give you any credit for it? ▪ I could try talking to him, but what good would that do/be? He has already made up his mind.
2 a : to be useful or helpful —used with any, much, some, etc. ▪ I tried to convince him to change his mind, but it didn't do any good. [=I was unable to convince him] ▪ He's been exercising more and it seems to be doing some good. ▪ You can try, but it probably won't do much good. ▪ It might do a little good. b : to be useful to or helpful for someone or something ▪ You should exercise more. It might do you (some) good. ▪ Weeding regularly will do your garden good. [=will improve your garden] ▪ The visit with her grandchildren did her a world/lot of good. = (Brit) The visit with her grandchildren did her a power of good. [=it was very good for her; it made her feel much better and happier] ◊If you do not think that something is helpful, useful, or worth doing, you can ask What good does it do?, What good is it?, What's the good of it?, etc. ▪ What good does it to do to bring an umbrella along [=why bring an umbrella along] if you are only going to leave it in the car? ▪ What good is a college education when you can't get a job after you graduate? ▪ What's the good of working hard if your boss doesn't give you any credit for it? ▪ I could try talking to him, but what good would that do/be? He has already made up his mind.
for good also for good and all
: forever ▪ “When is she coming back?” “She's not coming back. She's gone for good.”
have/get the goods on
informal ◊To have/get the goods on someone is to have/get evidence showing that someone has done something wrong. ▪ We can't arrest her until we get the goods on her.
in good with
US informal : in a favored position with (someone) ▪ She's in good with the boss. [=the boss likes her]
it's an ill wind that blows no good —see 1ill
no good or not any good
: not effective or useful ▪ I tried to convince him to change his mind, but it was no good, he wouldn't listen to me. ▪ It's no good [=no use] talking to him. = It isn't any good talking to him. —see also be any good (above)
not much good
: not very effective or useful ▪ I tried to convince him to change his mind, but it wasn't much good.
to the good
1 —used to say that a particular result or effect is good or would be good —usually used after all ▪ If the new policy requires the government to keep more accurate records, that's all to the good. [=that's a good thing; that's desirable]
2 —used to indicate an amount of gain or profit ▪ In the end, we were $100 to the good. [=we gained $100]
2 —used to indicate an amount of gain or profit ▪ In the end, we were $100 to the good. [=we gained $100]
up to no good
informal : doing bad things or planning to do bad things ▪ If you ask me, that woman's up to no good.