Main Entry: ¹good

Pronunciation: \ˈgu̇d\

Function: adjective

Inflected Form(s): bet·ter \ˈbe-tər\; best \ˈbest\

Etymology: Middle English, from Old English gōd; akin to Old High German guot good, Middle High German gatern to unite, Sanskrit gadhya what one clings to

Date: before 12th century

1 a (1) : of a favorable character or tendency <good news> (2) : bountiful, fertile <good land> (3) : handsome, attractive <good looks> b (1) : suitable, fit <good to eat> (2) : free from injury or disease <one good arm> (3) : not depreciated <bad money drives out good> (4) : commercially sound <a good risk> (5) : that can be relied on <good for another year> <good for a hundred dollars> <always good for a laugh> (6) : profitable, advantageous <made a very good deal> c (1) : agreeable, pleasant <had a good time> (2) : salutary, wholesome <good for a cold> (3) : amusing, clever <a good joke> d (1) : of a noticeably large size or quantity : considerable <won by a good margin> <a good bit of the time> (2) : full <waited a good hour> (3) —used as an intensive <a good many of us> e (1) : well-founded, cogent <good reasons> (2) : true <holds good for society at large> (3) : deserving of respect : honorable <in good standing> (4) : legally valid or effectual <good title> f (1) : adequate, satisfactory <good care> —often used in faint praise <his serve is only good — Frank Deford> (2) : conforming to a standard <good English> (3) : choice, discriminating <good taste> (4) : containing less fat and being less tender than higher grades —used of meat and especially of beef
2 a (1) : virtuous, right, commendable <a good person> <good conduct> (2) : kind, benevolent <good intentions> b : upper-class <a good family> c : competent, skillful <a good doctor> d (1) : loyal <a good party man> <a good Catholic> (2) : close <a good friend> e : free from infirmity or sorrow <I feel good>

— good·ish \ˈgu̇-dish\ adjective

— as good as : in effect : virtually <as good as dead>

— as good as gold 1 : of the highest worth or reliability <his promise is as good as gold>
2 : well-behaved <the child was as good as gold>

— good and \ˌgu̇d-^ən\ : very, entirely <was good and mad>

usage An old notion that it is wrong to say “I feel good” in reference to health still occasionally appears in print. The origins of this notion are obscure, but they seem to combine someone's idea that good should be reserved to describe virtue and uncertainty about whether an adverb or an adjective should follow feel. Today nearly everyone agrees that both good and well can be predicate adjectives after feel. Both are used to express good health, but good may connote good spirits in addition to good health.