no-good

[ adjective noh-goo d; noun noh-goo d ]
/ adjective ˈnoʊˈgʊd; noun ˈnoʊˌgʊd /
Informal.

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.

Origin of no-good

An Americanism dating back to 1905–10

Definition for no good (2 of 2)

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

synonym study for good

47. See property.

usage note for good

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.

OTHER WORDS FROM good

qua·si-good, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH good

good well (see usage note at the current entry)

British Dictionary definitions for no good

good
/ (ɡʊd) /

adjective better or best

interjection

an exclamation of approval, agreement, pleasure, etc

noun

See also goods

Derived forms of good

goodish, adjective

Word Origin for good

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

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