Meaning of the word good will

Good Good, a. [Compar. Better; superl. Best. These words,
though used as the comparative and superlative of good, are
from a different root.] [AS. G[=o]d, akin to D. goed, OS.
g[=o]d, OHG. guot, G. gut, Icel. g[=o][eth]r, Sw. & Dan. god,
Goth. g[=o]ds; prob. orig., fitting, belonging together, and
akin to E. gather. [root]29 Cf. Gather.]

1. Possessing desirable qualities; adapted to answer the end
   designed; promoting success, welfare, or happiness;
   serviceable; useful; fit; excellent; admirable;
   commendable; not bad, corrupt, evil, noxious, offensive,
   or troublesome, etc.

   And God saw everything that he had made, and behold,
   it was very good.
   —Gen. i. 31.

   Good company, good wine, good welcome.
   —Shak.

2. Possessing moral excellence or virtue; virtuous; pious;
   religious; — said of persons or actions.

   In all things showing thyself a pattern of good
   works.
   —Tit. ii. 7.

3. Kind; benevolent; humane; merciful; gracious; polite;
   propitious; friendly; well-disposed; — often followed by
   to or toward, also formerly by unto.

   The men were very good unto us.
   —1 Sam. xxv.
   15.

4. Serviceable; suited; adapted; suitable; of use; to be
   relied upon; — followed especially by for.

   All quality that is good for anything is founded
   originally in merit.
   —Collier.

5. Clever; skillful; dexterous; ready; handy; — followed
   especially by at.

   He . . . is a good workman; a very good tailor.
   
   —Shak.

   Those are generally good at flattering who are good
   for nothing else.
   —South.

6. Adequate; sufficient; competent; sound; not fallacious;
   valid; in a commercial sense, to be depended on for the
   discharge of obligations incurred; having pecuniary
   ability; of unimpaired credit.

   My reasons are both good and weighty.
   —Shak.

   My meaning in saying he is a good man is . . . that
   he is sufficient . . . I think I may take his bond.
   
   —Shak.

7. Real; actual; serious; as in the phrases in good earnest;
   in good sooth.

   Love no man in good earnest.
   —Shak.

8. Not small, insignificant, or of no account; considerable;
   esp., in the phrases a good deal, a good way, a good
   degree, a good share or part, etc.

9. Not lacking or deficient; full; complete.

   Good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and
   running over.
   —Luke vi. 38.

10. Not blemished or impeached; fair; honorable; unsullied;
    as in the phrases a good name, a good report, good
    repute, etc.

    A good name is better than precious ointment.
    —Eccl. vii.

    1. As good as. See under As.

       For good, or For good and all, completely and finally;
       fully; truly.

       The good woman never died after this, till she came
       to die for good and all. —L’Estrange.

       Good breeding, polite or polished manners, formed by
       education; a polite education.

       Distinguished by good humor and good breeding.
       —Macaulay.

       Good cheap, literally, good bargain; reasonably cheap.

       Good consideration (Law).

       1. A consideration of blood or of natural love and
          affection.
          —Blackstone.

       2. A valuable consideration, or one which will sustain a
          contract.

          Good fellow, a person of companionable qualities.

          Good folk, or Good people, fairies; brownies; pixies,
          etc. [Colloq. Eng. & Scot.]

          Good for nothing.

          1. Of no value; useless; worthless.

          2. Used substantively, an idle, worthless person.

             My father always said I was born to be a good
             for nothing. —Ld. Lytton.

             Good Friday, the Friday of Holy Week, kept in some churches
             as a fast, in memoory of our Savior’s passion or
             suffering; the anniversary of the crucifixion.

             Good humor, or Good-humor, a cheerful or pleasant temper
             or state of mind.

             Good humor man, a travelling vendor who sells Good Humor
             ice-cream (or some similar ice-cream) from a small
             refrigerated truck; he usually drives slowly through
             residential neighborhoods in summertime, loudly playing
             some distinctive recorded music to announce his presence.

             Good nature, or Good-nature, habitual kindness or
             mildness of temper or disposition; amiability; state of
             being in good humor.

             The good nature and generosity which belonged to his
             character. —Macaulay.

             The young count’s good nature and easy
             persuadability were among his best characteristics.
             —Hawthorne.

             Good people. See Good folk (above).

             Good speed, good luck; good success; godspeed; — an old
             form of wishing success. See Speed.

             Good turn, an act of kidness; a favor.

             Good will.

             1. Benevolence; well wishing; kindly feeling.

             2. (Law) The custom of any trade or business; the
                tendency or inclination of persons, old customers and
                others, to resort to an established place of
                business; the advantage accruing from tendency or
                inclination.

                The good will of a trade is nothing more than
                the probability that the old customers will
                resort to the old place. —Lord Eldon.

                In good time.

                1. Promptly; punctually; opportunely; not too soon nor
                   too late.

                2. (Mus.) Correctly; in proper time.

                   To hold good, to remain true or valid; to be operative; to
                   remain in force or effect; as, his promise holds good; the
                   condition still holds good.

                   To make good, to fulfill; to establish; to maintain; to
                   supply (a defect or deficiency); to indemmify; to prove or
                   verify (an accusation); to prove to be blameless; to
                   clear; to vindicate.

                   Each word made good and true.
                   —Shak.

                   Of no power to make his wishes good.
                   —Shak.

                   I . . . would by combat make her good.
                   —Shak.

                   Convenient numbers to make good the city.
                   —Shak.

                   To think good, to approve; to be pleased or satisfied with;
                   to consider expedient or proper.

                   If ye think good, give me my price; and if not,
                   forbear.
                   —Zech. xi.
                   1

    2. Note: Good, in the sense of wishing well, is much used in
       greeting and leave-taking; as, good day, good night,
       good evening, good morning, etc.

Will Will, n. [OE. wille, AS. willa; akin to OFries. willa,
OS. willeo, willio, D. wil, G. wille, Icel. vili, Dan.
villie, Sw. vilja, Goth wilja. See Will, v.]

1. The power of choosing; the faculty or endowment of the
   soul by which it is capable of choosing; the faculty or
   power of the mind by which we decide to do or not to do;
   the power or faculty of preferring or selecting one of two
   or more objects.

   It is necessary to form a distinct notion of what is
   meant by the word «volition» in order to
   understand the import of the word will, for this
   last word expresses the power of mind of which
   «volition» is the act.
   —Stewart.

   Will is an ambiguous word, being sometimes put for
   the faculty of willing; sometimes for the act of
   that faculty, besides [having] other meanings. But
   «volition» always signifies the act of willing,
   and nothing else.
   —Reid.

   Appetite is the will’s solicitor, and the will is
   appetite’s controller; what we covet according to
   the one, by the other we often reject.
   —Hooker.

   The will is plainly that by which the mind chooses
   anything.
   —J. Edwards.

2. The choice which is made; a determination or preference
   which results from the act or exercise of the power of
   choice; a volition.

   The word «will,» however, is not always used in
   this its proper acceptation, but is frequently
   substituted for «volition», as when I say that my
   hand mover in obedience to my will.
   —Stewart.

3. The choice or determination of one who has authority; a
   decree; a command; discretionary pleasure.

   Thy will be done.
   —Matt. vi.
   10.

   Our prayers should be according to the will of God.
   
   —Law.

4. Strong wish or inclination; desire; purpose.

   Note: «Inclination is another word with which will is
   frequently confounded. Thus, when the apothecary says,
   in Romeo and Juliet,

   My poverty, but not my will, consents; . . .
   Put this in any liquid thing you will,
   And drink it off.
   [1913 Webster] the word will is plainly used as,
   synonymous with inclination; not in the strict logical
   sense, as the immediate antecedent of action. It is
   with the same latitude that the word is used in common
   conversation, when we speak of doing a thing which duty
   prescribes, against one’s own will; or when we speak of
   doing a thing willingly or unwillingly.»
   —Stewart.

5. That which is strongly wished or desired.

   What’s your will, good friar?
   —Shak.

   The mariner hath his will.
   —Coleridge.

6. Arbitrary disposal; power to control, dispose, or
   determine.

   Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies.
   
   —Ps. xxvii.
   12.

7. (Law) The legal declaration of a person’s mind as to the
   manner in which he would have his property or estate
   disposed of after his death; the written instrument,
   legally executed, by which a man makes disposition of his
   estate, to take effect after his death; testament; devise.
   See the Note under Testament, 1.

   Note: Wills are written or nuncupative, that is, oral. See
   Nuncupative will, under Nuncupative.

   At will (Law), at pleasure. To hold an estate at the will
   of another, is to enjoy the possession at his pleasure,
   and be liable to be ousted at any time by the lessor or
   proprietor. An estate at will is at the will of both
   parties.

   Good will. See under Good.

   Ill will, enmity; unfriendliness; malevolence.

   To have one’s will, to obtain what is desired; to do what
   one pleases.

   Will worship, worship according to the dictates of the will
   or fancy; formal worship. [Obs.]

   Will worshiper, one who offers will worship. [Obs.]
   —Jer.
   Taylor.

   With a will, with willingness and zeal; with all one’s
   heart or strength; earnestly; heartily.

1. n. a disposition to kindness and compassion; benign good will; «the victor’s grace in treating the vanquished» [syn: grace, goodwill]

2. (accounting) an intangible asset valued according to the advantage or reputation a business has acquired (over and above its tangible assets) [syn: goodwill]

3. the friendly hope that something will succeed [syn: goodwill]