no-good

[ adjective noh-goo d; noun noh-goo d ]

/ adjective ˈnoʊˈgʊd; noun ˈnoʊˌgʊd /

Informal.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR no-good ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

lacking worth or merit; useless; bad: This no-good faucet never did work properly. Her no-good brother sold me the car.

noun

a person or thing that is worthless or undependable.

Nearby words

Origin of no-good

An Americanism dating back to 1905–10

Definition for no good (2 of 2)

good

[ good ]

/ gʊd /

adjective, bet·ter, best.

morally excellent; virtuous; righteous; pious: a good man.

satisfactory in quality, quantity, or degree: a good teacher; good health.

of high quality; excellent.

right; proper; fit: It is good that you are here. His credentials are good.

well-behaved: a good child.

kind, beneficent, or friendly: to do a good deed.

honorable or worthy; in good standing: a good name.

educated and refined: She has a good background.

financially sound or safe: His credit is good.

genuine; not counterfeit: a good quarter.

sound or valid: good judgment; good reasons.

reliable; dependable; responsible: good advice.

healthful; beneficial: Fresh fruit is good for you.

in excellent condition; healthy: good teeth.

not spoiled or tainted; edible; palatable: The meat was still good after three months in the freezer.

favorable; propitious: good news.

cheerful; optimistic; amiable: in good spirits.

free of distress or pain; comfortable: to feel good after surgery.

agreeable; pleasant: Have a good time.

attractive; handsome: She has a good figure.

(of the complexion) smooth; free from blemish.

close or intimate; warm: She's a good friend of mine.

sufficient or ample: a good supply.

advantageous; satisfactory for the purpose: a good day for fishing.

competent or skillful; clever: a good manager; good at arithmetic.

skillfully or expertly done: a really good job; a good play.

conforming to rules of grammar, usage, etc.; correct: good English.

socially proper: good manners.

remaining available to one: Don't throw good money after bad.

comparatively new or of relatively fine quality: Don't play in the mud in your good clothes.

finest or most dressy: He wore his good suit to the office today.

full: a good day's journey away.

fairly large or great: a good amount.

free from precipitation or cloudiness: good weather.

Medicine/Medical. (of a patient's condition) having stable and normal vital signs, being conscious and comfortable, and having excellent appetite, mobility, etc.

fertile; rich: good soil.

loyal: a good Democrat.

(of a return or service in tennis, squash, handball, etc.) landing within the limits of a court or section of a court.

Informal. (used when declining an offer or suggestion, as to communicate that one is already satisfied): "More coffee?" "No thanks, I’m good!"

Horse Racing. (of the surface of a track) drying after a rain so as to be still slightly sticky: This horse runs best on a good track.

(of meat, especially beef) noting or pertaining to the specific grade below “choice,” containing more lean muscle and less edible fat than “prime” or “choice.”

favorably regarded (used as an epithet for a ship, town, etc.): the good ship Syrena.

noun

profit or advantage; worth; benefit: What good will that do? We shall work for the common good.

excellence or merit; kindness: to do good.

moral righteousness; virtue: to be a power for good.

(especially in the grading of U.S. beef) an official grade below that of “choice.”

goods,

possessions, especially movable effects or personal property.
articles of trade; wares; merchandise: canned goods.
Informal. what has been promised or is expected: to deliver the goods.
Informal. the genuine article.
Informal. evidence of guilt, as stolen articles: to catch someone with the goods.
cloth or textile material: top-quality linen goods.
Chiefly British. merchandise sent by land, rather than by water or air.

the good,

the ideal of goodness or morality.
good things or persons collectively.

interjection

(used as an expression of approval or satisfaction): Good! Now we can all go home.

adverb

Informal. well¹(defs 1–3, 8): I wish I could cook this good! Yes, we knew him pretty good.

Origin of good

before 900; Middle English (adj., adv., and noun); Old English gōd (adj.); cognate with Dutch goed, German gut, Old Norse gōthr, Gothic goths

SYNONYMS FOR good

1 pure, moral, conscientious, meritorious, worthy, exemplary, upright.

2 commendable, admirable.

5 obedient, heedful.

6 kindly, benevolent, humane, gracious, obliging.

23 full, adequate.

24 profitable, useful, serviceable, beneficial.

25 efficient, proficient, capable, able, ready, suited, suitable, dexterous, expert, adroit, apt.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR good ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formsqua·si-good, adjective

Can be confusedgood well (see usage note at the current entry)

Synonym study

47. See property.

Usage note

Good is common as an adverb in informal speech, especially after forms of do: He did good on the test. She sees good with her new glasses. This use does not occur in formal speech or edited writing, where the adverb well is used instead: He did well on the test. She sees well with her new glasses.
The adjective good is standard after linking verbs like taste, smell, look, feel, be, and seem: Everything tastes good. The biscuits smell good. You're looking good today. When used after look or feel, good may refer to spirits as well as health: I'm feeling pretty good this morning, ready to take on the world. Well is both an adjective and an adverb. As an adjective used after look, feel, or other linking verbs, it often refers to good health: You're looking well; we missed you while you were in the hospital. See also bad.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for no good

good

/ (ɡʊd) /

adjective better or best

having admirable, pleasing, superior, or positive qualities; not negative, bad or mediocrea good idea; a good teacher

morally excellent or admirable; virtuous; righteousa good man
(as collective noun; preceded by the)the good

suitable or efficient for a purposea good secretary; a good winter coat

beneficial or advantageousvegetables are good for you

not ruined or decayed; sound or wholethe meat is still good

kindly, generous, or approvingyou are good to him

right or acceptableyour qualifications are good for the job

rich and fertilegood land

valid or genuineI would not do this without good reason

honourable or held in high esteema good family

commercially or financially secure, sound, or safegood securities; a good investment

(of a draft) drawn for a stated sum

(of debts) expected to be fully paid

clever, competent, or talentedhe's good at science

obedient or well-behaveda good dog

reliable, safe, or recommendeda good make of clothes

affording material pleasure or indulgencethe good things in life; the good life

having a well-proportioned, beautiful, or generally fine appearancea good figure; a good complexion

complete; fullI took a good look round the house

propitious; opportunea good time to ask the manager for a rise

satisfying or gratifyinga good rest

comfortabledid you have a good night?

newest or of the best qualityto keep the good plates for important guests

fairly large, extensive, or longa good distance away

sufficient; amplewe have a good supply of food

US (of meat) of the third government grade, above standard and below choice

serious or intellectualgood music

used in a traditional descriptionthe good ship ``America''

used in polite or patronizing phrases or to express anger (often intended ironically)how is your good lady?; look here, my good man!

a good one

an unbelievable assertion
a very funny joke

as good as virtually; practicallyit's as good as finished

as good as gold excellent; very good indeed

be as good as to or be so good as to would you please

come good to recover and perform well after a bad start or setback

good and informal (intensifier)good and mad

(intensifier; used in mild oaths)good grief!; good heavens!

interjection

an exclamation of approval, agreement, pleasure, etc

noun

moral or material advantage or use; benefit or profitfor the good of our workers; what is the good of worrying?

positive moral qualities; goodness; virtue; righteousness; piety

(sometimes capital) moral qualities seen as a single abstract entitywe must pursue the Good

a good thing

economics a commodity or service that satisfies a human need

for good or for good and all forever; permanentlyI have left them for good

make good

to recompense or repair damage or injury
to be successful
to demonstrate or prove the truth of (a statement or accusation)
to secure and retain (a position)
to effect or fulfil (something intended or promised)

good on you or good for you well done, well said, etc: a term of congratulation

get any good of or get some good of Irish

to handle to good effectI never got any good of this machine
to understand properlyI could never get any good of him
to receive cooperation from

Word Origin for good

Old English gōd; related to Old Norse gōthr, Old High German guot good

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for no good (1 of 3)

good

Old English gōd "that which is good, goodness; advantage, benefit; gift; virtue; property;" from good (adj.).

Word Origin and History for no good (1 of 3)

good

adj.

Old English god (with a long "o") "virtuous; desirable; valid; considerable," probably originally "having the right or desirable quality," from Proto-Germanic *gothaz (cf. Old Norse goðr, Dutch goed, Old High German guot, German gut, Gothic goþs), originally "fit, adequate, belonging together," from PIE root *ghedh- "to unite, be associated, suitable" (cf. Old Church Slavonic godu "pleasing time," Russian godnyi "fit, suitable," Old English gædrian "to gather, to take up together"). As an expression of satisfaction, from early 15c.; of children, "well-behaved," by 1690s.

Irregular comparatives (better, best) reflect a widespread pattern, cf. Latin bonus, melior, optimus. Good-for-nothing is from 1711. Good looking is attested from 1780 (good looks by c.1800). Good sport, of persons, is from 1906; good to go is attested from 1989. The good book "the Bible" attested from 1801, originally in missionary literature describing the language of conversion efforts in American Indian tribes.

Why then, can one desire too much of a good thing. ["As You Like It"]

Word Origin and History for no good (2 of 3)

no-good

adj.

1908, from phrase no good "good for nothing." As a noun, first recorded 1924; variant no-goodnik (see -nik) first attested 1960.

Idioms and Phrases with no good (1 of 2)

no good

Unsatisfactory, inadequate; also, no use. For example, This work is no good; it'll have to be done over, or It's no good complaining since there's nothing we can do, or I tried to appeal to his sense of generosity, but it did no good. [Mid-1800s] Also see come to an end (to no good), def. 2; do any (no) good.

Idioms and Phrases with no good (2 of 2)

good

In addition to the idioms beginning with good

good and
good around
good as, as
good as done, as
good as gold, as
good as one's word, as
good day
good deal, a
good egg, a
good evening
good faith
good for
good graces
good grief
good head on one's shoulders, have a
good life, the
good luck
good many, a
good mind
good morning
good nature
goodness gracious
goodness knows
good night
good off
good riddance
good Samaritan
good scout
good sort
good thing
good time
good turn
good word
good works
goody two-shoes

also see:

bad (good) sort
but good
do any good
do good
do one good
for good
for good measure
get on someone's good side
get out while the getting is good
give a good account of oneself
give as good as one gets
have a good command of
have a good mind to
have a good thing going
have a good time
hold good
ill wind (that blows nobody any good)
in all good conscience
in bad (good) faith
in (good) condition
in due course (all in good time)
in good
in good hands
in good part
in good spirits
in good time
in good with
in someone's good graces
keep (good) time
make good
make good time
make someone look good
miss is as good as a mile
never had it so good
no good
no news is good news
not the only fish (other good fish) in the sea
one good turn deserves another
on good terms
on one's best (good) behavior
put in a good word
put to good use
show someone a good time
show to (good) advantage
so far so good
stand in good stead
take in good part
throw good money after bad
to good purpose
too good to be true
too much of a good thing
to the good
turn to (good account)
up to no good
well and good
what's the good of
with good grace
world of good
your guess is as good as mine

Also see undergoodnessgoods.

no-good

adjective

noun

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RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of no-good

Definition for no good (2 of 2)

good

adjective, bet·ter, best.

noun

interjection

adverb

Origin of good

Synonym study

Usage note

British Dictionary definitions for no good

good

adjective better or best

interjection

noun

Word Origin for good

Word Origin and History for no good (1 of 3)

good

Word Origin and History for no good (1 of 3)

good

Word Origin and History for no good (2 of 3)

no-good

Idioms and Phrases with no good (1 of 2)

no good

Idioms and Phrases with no good (2 of 2)

good