good
1 good
2 better
3 very good; best
4 perfect
morally good RIGHT/WRONG
see also BAD
1 good
- of a high quality or standard: good
It isn't new but it's in very good condition. ◎ What a good idea!
- in a good way: well
I thought they organized the party very well. ◎ a very well-written letter
- how good or bad sth is: quality (noun U)
good quality clothes ◎ an improvement in quality
- able to do sth well: good (at sth/doing sth), (formal) competent
He's a very good driver. ◎ I've never been very good at mathematics. ◎ Are you good at remembering people's names? ◎ an extremely competent accountant
- the ability to do sth well: skill (noun C/U)
※ more on skill SKILL
- if you like sth, it is good, nice, lovely
a good day at the seaside ◎ a nice hot cup of tea ◎ such lovely countryside
- something that gives you pleasure is enjoyable
an enjoyable outing to the seaside
- if sth is useful or satisfying enough to be worth the cost or effort, it is worthwhile, worth your/sb's while, (informal) worth it (not before a noun)
I had a lovely time - I'd say the journey was really worth it.
- if sth makes sb/sth well, healthy or happy, it is good (for them/it)
Drink more milk - it's good for you! ◎ All this bad publicity is not good for the school.
- in good health: well
'How are you?' 'Very well, thank you.'
- if sth is what is needed for a particular purpose, it is right (for sth), suitable (for sth), good (for sth)
Do you think this is the right sort of dress for a dinner party? ◎ a beach suitable for swimming ◎ These potatoes are good for boiling.
- a good thing that you get as a result of sth else: benefit (noun U/C), advantage (noun U/C)
'What are the benefits of working for this company?' 'You get six weeks' paid holiday and a company car.' ◎ There's no obvious advantage in booking in advance.
- a good thing that you get in addition to what you expect: bonus
It's a beautiful house, and the fact that it's in a good area is a bonus.
※ good, but not very good
- good, but not very good: fairly/quite good, not bad, OK (also written okay), all right, reasonable
The local cheese is fairly good. ◎ 'Do you think this suit is smart enough for my interview?' 'Well, it's not perfect, but it's OK.' ◎ 'Did you enjoy the party?' 'It was all right.' ◎ The hotel was not bad and the weather was reasonable.
- good enough for some purpose: adequate (adverb adequately), (more formal) satisfactory (adverb satisfactorily)
'How's your new flat?' 'It's adequate, but we're looking for something a bit bigger.' ◎ He said my work was satisfactory, but that's not enough for me - I shall have to work harder.
- to be good enough, but not very good: do*
'Is this OK?' 'Well, it'll do, I suppose, but I'm not very happy with it.'
2 better
- the comparative form of 'good'; of a higher quality, more suitable, etc: better (than sb/sth), (formal) superior (to sb/sth)
The food in that restaurant is much better than in this one. ◎ Would it be better if I waited outside? ◎ The new machine is far superior to the old model.
- the comparative of 'well'; in a superior way; to a higher degree: better
She speaks French much better than I do/much better than me. ◎ I'd like him better if he was less arrogant.
- to be much better than others: stand* out
Most of the entries in the competition were very good, but Richard's painting really stood out.
- to achieve or produce sth that is better than what came before: improve on sth, be an improvement on sth
If you can improve on my score, I'll buy you a drink. ◎ That performance was a considerable improvement on your last one.
※ getting better
- to become better than before: get* better, improve; noun (C/U): improvement (on/in sth)
The situation is beginning to get better. ◎ Your German has really improved since you went to Germany. ◎ Her work is showing considerable improvement.
- to start to become better than before: pick up, look up
After a difficult period last year, business is beginning to pick up. ◎ Things seem to be looking up now.
- to become well again after you have been ill: get* better, recover, make* a good recovery
※ getting better after an illness ILLNESS
※ making sth better
- to make sth better: improve sth
If I can improve my typing speed, I might be able to get a job as a secretary.
- to contribute to making sth better: help (sth)
Try this medicine - it should help your cough.
- something which makes an unpleasant or inconvenient situation better: remedy
The best remedy for this sort of problem is for you to take a holiday.
3 very good; best
- better than anything/anybody else: best
That's the best film I've ever seen. ◎ I'd like you to meet Peter - he's my best friend. ◎ It's best to ask before you go in there. ◎ My teachers are very demanding - they refuse to accept second-best (= not quite the best) .
- in the best way; to the greatest degree: best
I work best at night. ◎ Which do you like best - the green dress or the red one? ◎ Lucy sang best of all.
- to look as beautiful or attractive as possible: look your best
Try to look your best for the interview - first impressions are very important.
- to do sth as well as you can: do*/try your best, do* sth to the best of your ability
Don't worry if you don't succeed - the important thing is that you try your best. ◎ Just do it to the best of your ability - I'll understand if it's not perfect.
- very good: excellent, outstanding
What an excellent performance! ◎ James Page won the prize for outstanding achievement.
- in a very good way: extremely well, excellently
The buildings in the old town have been extremely well restored. ◎ I thought she spoke excellently.
- the quality of being excellent: excellence (noun U)
The school's main aim is academic excellence.
- of the best quality: first-class, first-rate
a first-class restaurant ◎ a first-rate production of Hamlet
- most popular, important, etc: top
They played all the top songs from the 1960s. ◎ Three top musicians played at the concert.
- a high standard: quality (noun U)
If you're looking for quality you'll have to be prepared to spend more than that.
- (used about sth that you like very much) very good or enjoyable: wonderful, marvellous (AmE marvelous), fantastic, (informal) great, (informal) super, (informal) lovely
'Jim and I are getting married.' 'That's absolutely wonderful!' ◎ We had a marvellous time in Spain last year. ◎ The scenery was fantastic. ◎ 'Did you enjoy the party?' 'Yes thanks, it was great.' ◎ We had a really lovely time.
- in a very good or enjoyable way, which you like very much: wonderfully, marvellously (AmE marvelously), fantastically
The new system worked wonderfully at first.
- to do sth better than anybody else: be best at sth
Who's best at maths in your family?
- to be very good at doing sth: excel (in/at/as sth)
This school is specially for children who excel in music. ◎ She really excels at her subject. ◎ He excels as a leader.
- having a natural ability to do a particular task, and doing it very well: born (only before a noun)
She's a born organizer.
- a person or thing that is the best and cannot be defeated is unbeatable
He is unbeatable in the 100 metres. ◎ an unbeatable record
- (used about a performance, especially in sport) the best that has been done: record (noun, adjective)
He broke the world high-jump record. ◎ The Chinese woman ran the 5 000 metres in record time.
4 perfect
- having nothing wrong; as good as can be: perfect (adverb perfectly)
Nobody's perfect! ◎ You have to type two pages perfectly to pass the exam.
- the state of being perfect: perfection (noun U)
- the best possible; the best that can be imagined: ideal (adverb ideally)
In an ideal world there would be no poverty. ◎ They are ideally suited to each other.
※ not perfect
- not perfect: imperfect (adverb imperfectly)
It was a good plan but it was imperfectly carried out.
- something that is wrong with sth: fault, defect
There's a fault in the system and we can't use any of the computers. ◎ There's a defect in the design of this equipment.
- not working properly: faulty, defective
a faulty TV/switch/motor
※ wanting things to be perfect
- an idea or thing which seems perfect to you and which you want to achieve: ideal
When we were young we were full of great ideals.
- imagining that things, especially people and world affairs, can be perfect: idealistic
Some of your opinions are a bit idealistic - you should maybe try to be more practical.
- the belief that things can be perfect: idealism (noun U); a person who holds such a belief: idealist
A bit of idealism is not a bad thing.
- a person who cannot leave a task until he/she considers it to be perfect: perfectionist
※ MORE ...
- the person or thing that is best or in first place: leader
Our company is the leader in the computer software market.
- of the highest quality: second to none
The food here is second to none in the whole country.
- if sb/sth allows you to show your best qualities, it brings* out the best in you
Sylvia's new boyfriend seems to bring out the best in her.
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