The Collaborative International Dictionary
Good \Good\, a. [Compar. Better; superl. Best. These words, though used as the comparative and superlative of good, are from a different root.] [AS. G[=o]d, akin to D. goed, OS. g[=o]d, OHG. guot, G. gut, Icel. g[=o][eth]r, Sw. & Dan. god, Goth. g[=o]ds; prob. orig., fitting, belonging together, and akin to E. gather. [root]29 Cf. Gather.]
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Possessing desirable qualities; adapted to answer the end designed; promoting success, welfare, or happiness; serviceable; useful; fit; excellent; admirable; commendable; not bad, corrupt, evil, noxious, offensive, or troublesome, etc.
And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.
--Gen. i. 31.Good company, good wine, good welcome.
--Shak. -
Possessing moral excellence or virtue; virtuous; pious; religious; -- said of persons or actions.
In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works.
--Tit. ii. 7. -
Kind; benevolent; humane; merciful; gracious; polite; propitious; friendly; well-disposed; -- often followed by to or toward, also formerly by unto.
The men were very good unto us.
--1 Sam. xxv. 15. -
Serviceable; suited; adapted; suitable; of use; to be relied upon; -- followed especially by for.
All quality that is good for anything is founded originally in merit.
--Collier. -
Clever; skillful; dexterous; ready; handy; -- followed especially by at.
He . . . is a good workman; a very good tailor.
--Shak.Those are generally good at flattering who are good for nothing else.
--South. -
Adequate; sufficient; competent; sound; not fallacious; valid; in a commercial sense, to be depended on for the discharge of obligations incurred; having pecuniary ability; of unimpaired credit.
My reasons are both good and weighty.
--Shak.My meaning in saying he is a good man is . . . that he is sufficient . . . I think I may take his bond.
--Shak. -
Real; actual; serious; as in the phrases in good earnest; in good sooth.
Love no man in good earnest.
--Shak. Not small, insignificant, or of no account; considerable; esp., in the phrases a good deal, a good way, a good degree, a good share or part, etc.
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Not lacking or deficient; full; complete.
Good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over.
--Luke vi. 38. -
Not blemished or impeached; fair; honorable; unsullied; as in the phrases a good name, a good report, good repute, etc. A good name is better than precious ointment. --Eccl. vii.
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As good as. See under As. For good, or For good and all, completely and finally; fully; truly. The good woman never died after this, till she came to die for good and all. --L'Estrange. Good breeding, polite or polished manners, formed by education; a polite education. Distinguished by good humor and good breeding. --Macaulay. Good cheap, literally, good bargain; reasonably cheap. Good consideration (Law).
A consideration of blood or of natural love and affection.
--Blackstone.-
A valuable consideration, or one which will sustain a contract. Good fellow, a person of companionable qualities. Good folk, or Good people, fairies; brownies; pixies, etc. [Colloq. Eng. & Scot.] Good for nothing.
Of no value; useless; worthless.
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Used substantively, an idle, worthless person. My father always said I was born to be a good for nothing. --Ld. Lytton. Good Friday, the Friday of Holy Week, kept in some churches as a fast, in memoory of our Savior's passion or suffering; the anniversary of the crucifixion. Good humor, or Good-humor, a cheerful or pleasant temper or state of mind. Good humor man, a travelling vendor who sells Good Humor ice-cream (or some similar ice-cream) from a small refrigerated truck; he usually drives slowly through residential neighborhoods in summertime, loudly playing some distinctive recorded music to announce his presence. Good nature, or Good-nature, habitual kindness or mildness of temper or disposition; amiability; state of being in good humor. The good nature and generosity which belonged to his character. --Macaulay. The young count's good nature and easy persuadability were among his best characteristics. --Hawthorne. Good people. See Good folk (above). Good speed, good luck; good success; godspeed; -- an old form of wishing success. See Speed. Good turn, an act of kidness; a favor. Good will.
Benevolence; well wishing; kindly feeling.
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(Law) The custom of any trade or business; the tendency or inclination of persons, old customers and others, to resort to an established place of business; the advantage accruing from tendency or inclination. The good will of a trade is nothing more than the probability that the old customers will resort to the old place. --Lord Eldon. In good time.
Promptly; punctually; opportunely; not too soon nor too late.
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(Mus.) Correctly; in proper time.
To hold good, to remain true or valid; to be operative; to remain in force or effect; as, his promise holds good; the condition still holds good.
To make good, to fulfill; to establish; to maintain; to supply (a defect or deficiency); to indemmify; to prove or verify (an accusation); to prove to be blameless; to clear; to vindicate.
Each word made good and true.
--Shak.Of no power to make his wishes good.
--Shak.I . . . would by combat make her good.
--Shak.Convenient numbers to make good the city.
--Shak.To think good, to approve; to be pleased or satisfied with; to consider expedient or proper.
If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear.
--Zech. xi. 1
Note: Good, in the sense of wishing well, is much used in greeting and leave-taking; as, good day, good night, good evening, good morning, etc.
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Usage examples of "good-humor".
He was listening, with a good-humored, negligent air, half comic, half contemptuous, to Haley, who was very volubly expatiating on the quality of the article for which they were bargaining.
Mistress Kitty soon began the conversational blandishments so natural to her good-humored race.
I was still finding it hard to see how he and Arest managed to work together so well, given the contrast between the commander’s uncompromising use of his authority to achieve things and the way Lessay accomplished his results with good-humored jokes and encouragement.
The rich coloring which blooms on a Berrichon cheek added still further to his look of kindly good-humor.
Oh, I write like a boid, Dees said, and offered a smile he hoped looked good-humored and warm.
Since the Japs ap-peared illogically unwilling to surrender, the naval bombarders set about annihilating them with an oddly good-humored, ribald ferocity.
The good-humored, friendly crinkles about his eyes were white with tension and oily with grime as he kept unrolling an interminable bandage around the bulky cotton compress Yossarian felt strapped burdensomely to the inside of one thigh.
Grant took it in good-humored silence, forcing a smile at his own expense, thinking that he hadn't encountered such doltishness since he'd said good-bye to Raoul Tavalera on the old Roberts.
Guilt was freezing half of her mind, lust was frying the other half, and in between, in a kind of shrinking twilight zone, was the reasonable, good-humored, rational woman she had always considered herself to be.
Stoker's appearance this time was met with good-humored hisses and boos, as he represented the Dean o' Flunks now in his aspect of Opponent rather than Tempter.
The Indians saw by his determined tone, that all further entreaty would be unavailing, so they desisted, with a good-humored laugh, and went off exceedingly well freighted, both within and without, promising to be back again in the course of a fortnight.
Natasha had not time to take off the bodice before the door opened and Countess Bezukhova, dressed in a purple velvet gown with a high collar, came into the room beaming with good-humored amiable smiles.
Willie felt much sorrier for Koster, a good-humored, effete boy brought up by maiden aunts.
His old roommate, wearing a purple base-ball cap, had the same good-humored grin, but his face was much leaner.
He had wavy, sandy hair, and his round face wore a look of good-humored alertness.