MAKE GOOD

{v. phr.} 1. To do what one promised to do; make something come true. * /Mr. Smith borrowed some money. He promised to pay it back on payday. He made good his promise./ * /Joe made good his boast to swim across the lake./ * /John's mother promised to take him and his friends to the zoo on Saturday. She made good her promise./ Compare: CARRY OUT. 2. To compensate; pay for loss or damage. * /The policeman told the boy's parents that the boy must make good the money he had stolen or go to jail./ - Often used in the phrase "make it good". * /The radio was broken while it was being delivered so the store had to make it good and send us a new radio./ Compare: MAKE UP. 3. To do good work at one's job; succeed. * /Kate wanted to be a nurse. She studied and worked hard in school. Then she got a job in the hospital and made good as a nurse./