do good

1. To have a positive effect on someone. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "do" and "good." If you're feeling sad, getting out in the sunlight should do you good. Wow, eight hours of sleep did me good. It's a real luxury while living with an infant, but I do feel so much better today. The trip to the beach really did our marriage good. We needed that time to relax and reconnect.

2. To focus one's energy on philanthropic acts. Monica has always been one to do good, so I'm not surprised to hear that she joined the Peace Corps. It takes a big-hearted person to do good like this and spend so much time caring for others. Through his charity, he's done a lot of good in this world.

See also: good

do someone good

to benefit someone. A nice hot bath really does me good. A few years in the army would do you good.

See also: good

do good

Act in an upright, moral way; engage in philanthropy. For example, Social workers are trained to help people to help themselves, not simply going around doing good . This term was first recorded in a.d. 725. Also see do any good; do one good.

See also: good

do one good

1. Be of benefit to one, as in I'm sure some fresh air will do her good. [Late 1400s]

2. Also, do one's heart good. Please, gratify, give satisfaction. For example, It does my heart good to see the young couple so happy.

do ˈgood

be kind and generous to people who need help, for example by working for a charity: She tries to do good by visiting prisoners’ families when she can. ▶ ˌdo-ˈgooder noun (informal, disapproving) a person who tries to help others but does it in a way that is annoying

See also: good

do somebody ˈgood

help somebody; have a good effect on somebody: A trip to the beach would do you a lot of good.

See also: good, somebody

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

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References in periodicals archive

"Our motto is, do good, do well," said Fairmount Minerals CFO Jennifer Deckard.

Fairmount Minerals wins National Association of Manufacturers Sandy Trowbridge Award

The introduction begins with a Christian quotation, "Trust in the Lord and do good" and the Latin term Nobis es (it is up to us); and the last quote is from Acts 10:38: "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power ...

One good work at a time: simple things you can do to make a difference

In his supposed diary, Lei Feng also "allegedly recorded how he was inspired by Mao to do good deeds, and swore that for Mao he was ready to 'go up mountains of knives and down into seas of flames.'" The authors also point out that Lei Feng was used as a propaganda tool to help demonize their alleged enemies and concentrate their own power: "Apart from symbolising total loyalty to Mao, soldier Lei Feng exemplified another vital point: the idea that hate was good, which was drilled into the population, especially the young." While the book has its flaws, Mao: The Untold Story does demolish many trumped-up tales propagated about Mao and his comrades.

Reinvigorating Mao

government is doing so poorly is that the big corporations dominate it." Some corporations "do good things," another said, but she still seemed to believe that, in general, they were the very root of evil.

Is "corporation" a dirty word?

We recently compiled our annual report, virtually called just that - We Do Good Things - which won Best Social Report in the UK at a recent ceremony in London.''

Change was all for the good

Because it suffers the liberal democratic delusion that it can do good while avoiding risk.

In God We Trust