make good

M

make good (idiom / phrasal verb)
/meɪk ɡʊd/

Meanings

• To achieve success or prove one’s ability.
• To compensate for a loss, damage, or mistake; to put right.
• To fulfill a promise, duty, or obligation.
• To repay money owed or cover a debt.
• (Literal) To repair or restore something to proper condition.

Synonyms: compensate; fulfill; succeed; repay; restore.

Example Sentences

1. After the faulty delivery, the company promised to make good by sending a replacement.
2. She gave her word to help, and she will make good on that promise.
3. Despite early struggles, he worked hard and finally made good in his career.
4. The tenant had to make good the unpaid rent before leaving.
5. The builder had to make good the cracks in the wall after the inspection. (literal)

Origin and History

The phrase “make good” emerges from the foundational elements of Middle English vocabulary, where “make” carries the core sense of forming, constructing, or bringing into being, derived from Old English roots denoting creation and action. Paired with “good,” an adjective rooted in Proto-Germanic terms for fitting, suitable, or morally upright, the combination initially conveys the idea of rendering something proper, complete, or rectified.

This etymological fusion reflects a practical linguistic evolution, transforming a literal act of construction into a metaphorical one of restoration or validation, aligning with broader medieval concepts of balance and moral reckoning in both personal and communal spheres.

Theories on Development

Scholars propose several interconnected theories regarding the phrase’s conceptual underpinnings.

One prevailing view posits it as an extension of compensatory justice prevalent in medieval legal and ethical discourses, where “making good” implied restoring equilibrium after a breach, akin to atonement in religious texts or reparations in customary law.

Another perspective emphasizes its roots in promissory language, suggesting the phrase codified the expectation of fulfillment in oaths and covenants, drawing from biblical precedents of divine-human reciprocity.

A third interpretation highlights socioeconomic influences, arguing that in agrarian and mercantile contexts, it encapsulated the obligation to rectify debts or damages, evolving from literal craftsmanship to abstract accountability.

These theories, while overlapping, underscore the phrase’s adaptability across moral, legal, and economic domains.

Historical Evolution

Throughout its history, “make good” has expanded from a narrowly restorative function in the late fourteenth century to a multifaceted idiom by the early modern period. In initial usages, it primarily denoted compensation for loss or fault, gradually incorporating notions of successful execution, as in evading peril or achieving escape.

By the sixteenth century, it frequently appeared in contexts of promise-keeping, reflecting Reformation-era emphases on fidelity and covenant. Subsequent centuries saw further diversification, with senses of personal advancement—such as prospering in endeavors—gaining prominence amid industrial and colonial expansions, where the phrase symbolized resilience and self-made success. This trajectory illustrates a shift from communal rectification to individualistic triumph, mirroring broader sociocultural transitions.

Country of Origin

The phrase “make good” originated in England during the late Middle Ages, specifically within the linguistic milieu of Middle English as spoken and written in the regions of the West Midlands and London. Its emergence aligns with the consolidation of vernacular literature following the Norman Conquest, where English reasserted itself against French and Latin influences. This insular development, untraced to continental parallels in form or frequency, marks it as a distinctly English idiom, shaped by the island’s evolving traditions of equity, piety, and commerce.

Earliest Printed Record

The earliest printed instance of “make good” appears in the 1535 Coverdale Bible, a seminal English translation undertaken by Miles Coverdale. In the passage from II Chronicles 6:16, the text reads:

“Make good unto thy servant Dauid my father that which thou hast promised him.”

This rendition, printed in Zurich and later disseminated in England, employs the phrase to invoke divine fulfillment of a covenant, thereby embedding it within the era’s scriptural and devotional print culture. The work’s publication date aligns with the burgeoning English Reformation, amplifying the phrase’s visibility through widespread dissemination via early presses.

Variants

1. make it good
2. made good
3. making good
4. make up for

Biblical, Good, Phrasal Verbs, Success