what’s the good of: Idiom Meaning and Origin
What does ‘what's the good of’ mean?
The idiom "what's the good of" is used to question the practical value or usefulness of something. It expresses a doubt or skepticism about the benefits or advantages of a particular action or situation.
Idiom Explorer
The idiom "worth one's while" refers to something that is worthwhile or beneficial for someone to do or experience, often involving a reasonable amount of effort or time.
One commonly used idiom in the English language is "worth one's while." This idiom is used to express the notion of something being worthwhile or valuable in terms of time, effort, or expense.
The idiom "what's what" means to understand or know the important or essential information about a subject or situation.
The idiom "what's the matter" is used to ask someone what is wrong or bothering them.
The idiom "what's the difference" is used to express indifference or to question the importance or significance between two choices or options.
The idiom "what's the difference" is a commonly used phrase in the English language. It asks about the distinctions between two or more things. The question prompts further analysis and discussion to explore the dissimilarities or divergences between the elements at hand.
The idiom "what's the beef" is often used to ask someone the reason for their complaint or dissatisfaction. It originates from the notion of a customer questioning the quality or quantity of meat they were served.
The idiom "what's in it for me" expresses a selfish perspective or concern about personal gain or benefit in a given situation or proposal.
The idiom "what's going on" is used to inquire about the current situation or events, seeking information or understanding. It's a casual expression commonly used in conversations to ask about what is happening or to express confusion.
"What of it" is an idiomatic phrase that is used to express a lack of concern or indifference towards a situation. It suggests that the speaker does not consider the matter to be significant or important in any way.
The idiom "what is more" is used to introduce an additional and often more important point or piece of information in a conversation or argument.
The idiom "what for" is used to ask someone about the reason or purpose behind their actions. It implies a sense of curiosity or confusion and is often used when questioning someone's behavior or intentions.
The Unexpected Utility
"What's the good of" is an idiom that questions the usefulness or purpose of something. It implies that something does not serve any practical purpose. This idiom has been in popular usage since the mid-19th century and its exact origin is unclear.
"What's the good of" is a figurative expression used to express skepticism or doubt about the value or worth of something. It is commonly used in everyday conversations, literature, and various forms of media to question the practicality of a particular action or situation.
This idiom is not meant to be taken literally and does not seek a practical answer. Instead, it serves as a rhetorical device to express skepticism or criticism.
The idiom "what's the good of" can be used in various contexts. For example, one might say "what's the good of studying if I won't get a job anyway?" to question the value of education. Similarly, one might say "what's the good of saving money if I can't enjoy it?" to question the purpose of financial prudence.
The idiom "what's in it for me" is related to "what's the good of" as both express doubt about the benefit or advantage of something. "What's in it for me" is often used in a self-centered manner to question whether something is personally advantageous or worthwhile.
The idiom "what for" is related to "what's the good of" as both express a sense of doubt or inquiry about the purpose or reason behind something. "What for" is often used to seek clarification or understanding about the motive or intention behind an action.
Another related idiom is "good value", which conveys the idea of something being worth the cost or price. It is used to describe when something is considered advantageous, valuable, or beneficial in terms of its cost relative to its quality or usefulness.
The idiom "good for nothing" is also related to "what's the good of" as both convey a negative connotation. "Good for nothing" describes something or someone as being worthless, useless, or of no value.
"what's the good of" is a versatile and commonly used idiom that questions the usefulness or purpose of something. Its figurative nature and rhetorical function should be understood when employing this expression. Additionally, related idioms such as "what's in it for me", "what for", "good value", and "good for nothing" convey similar notions of doubt, skepticism, or criticism about the value, worth, or purpose of something.
Example usage
Examples of sentences with the idiom "what's the good of":
- What's the good of crying over spilled milk?
- What's the good of having all this money if you can't enjoy it?
- What's the good of studying if you're not going to apply what you've learned?
More "Purpose" idioms
