good egg

Someone who is known to be trustworthy and kind. Joey's a good egg. He always makes time to help others in need. A: "Just let me know if there is anything else I can do you for you, Janet." B: "Thanks, Mary. You've always been a good egg." It was raining, so Hannah gave me a ride home. She's a good egg, that one.

See also: egg, good

(a) good egg

Fig. a good and dependable person. He seems like a good egg. I'll take a chance on him.

See also: egg, good

good egg, a

Also, a good scout. An amiable, basically nice person. For example, You can always count on her to help; she's a good egg, or His friends all think Dad's really a good scout. This colloquial antonym of bad egg dates from the early 1900s, as did the variant.

a good egg

OLD-FASHIONED

If you describe someone as a good egg, you mean that they are a kind and reliable person. Her father's a bit bad-tempered, but basically a good egg.

See also: egg, good

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

good egg, a

An agreeable, trustworthy person. This slangy expression has outlived bad egg, which it actually implied in the sixteenth century. “Neither good egge nor good bird,” went the saying, meaning the young (egg) would not turn into praiseworthy adults (bird). In the nineteenth century this continued to be spelled out: “A bad egg [is] a fellow who has not proved to be as good as his promise” (The Athenaeum, 1864). The favorable aspect of good egg dates from the early twentieth century. Rudyard Kipling used it in Traffics and Discoveries (1904): “‘Good egg!’ quoth Moorshed.”

good egg

An agreeable, helpful person. The phrase applied to someone of value in terms of utility, the opposite of a no-good rotten egg. It was most often heard in such requests as “Be a good egg and mail this letter for me” or “Pour me another whisky, like a good egg.”

See also: egg, good

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References in periodicals archive

Playing safe Sandra Gemmil (safety expert from Good Egg Safety), Kevin and Arrabella Lyall, and Councillor Michael McPake

Three quarters fail car test

"This refresh will encompass all facets of the Museum Cafe," said Heather Paul, A Good Egg Dining Group's co-founder and chief creative officer.

Good Egg to manage Museum Cafe

"The Good Egg" campaigners believe that eating eggs, which has not been proven by science to be harmful, can make a difference to one's health.

An egg a day also keeps the doctor away

Good Egg Safety is running a national initiative this summer with the Good Morning Britain television programme to raise awareness of common fitting errors and how to rectify them to improve in-car child safety.

Event aims to promote child car seat safety

And whether you're a royalist or a republican, no-one can deny that Elizabeth II is a jolly good egg. She's shaken millions of hands, sat through thousands of dull state banquets and has balanced dozens of uncomfortable tiaras atop her head without fuss or complaint.

Three cheers for the Queen; KAT'S WHISPERS Kat Keogh gets her claws into celebrity culture

This years European Awards were the biggest yet for Compassion in World Farming, who presented awards in three categories: the Good Egg, Good Chicken and, new for 2011, the Good Dairy Award.

CIWF awards Europe's Food Industry

Poems like "Good Egg Bad Seed" will make you laugh aloud at Holbrook's playful, tongue-in-cheek dichotomies that cover everything from tics to art preferences.

Joy is so Exhausting

The collection's virtuoso piece on the ironies of differentiation is the eight-page "Good Egg Bad Seed." This series of comic differentials about "two kinds of people" is a hilarious satire on formulaic homilies ("You've fallen for a line or you've fallen for a sentence.

Susan Holbrook. Joy is So Exhausting

egg farmers and the American Egg Board (AEB) have launched the "Good Egg Project," an initiative with the goals of educating consumers about modern egg farming, introducing them to the farmers who supply the eggs and encouraging people "to eat well and do good every day."That encouragement includes asking consumers to join the fight against hunger by taking the Good Egg Project pledge on GoodEggProject.org.

Campaign Shows How to be a 'Good Egg"

Moore tells Marie Claire in its April issue that her now rocker husband is "a good egg. I'm in awe of him: his brain, his passion.

Mandy Moore, Ryan Adams get hitched

"He built sets, ran props, light board--everything--and was a good egg about it."

Tim Robbins defiant. (Freedom of Speech)

Two case studies illustrate this point: Both addressed the "good egg" basics, but initial conditions and chosen solutions were worlds apart.

Beyond facades: deep truths about exteriors

Myers' role as director also includes oversight of training and quality management at both new concepts.<br />Myers has experience with W Hotels, Hilton Hotels and A Good Egg Dining Group.

Myers named director of hospitality

The event was organised as part of the Good Egg car safety campaign.

Child seat checks highlight dangers

The Communardturned curate is a thoroughly good egg and I'm loving his Strictly backstage gossip.

Rev Richard is my rumba one; JUST SAYING!