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good time

good time

1.0
A time when people have fun
  • noun
  • /ɡʊd taɪm/
translation icon : buen rato
  • We spent the afternoon at the lake and had a good time swimming, talking, and enjoying the view.
  • a very good time
  • good times and bad
  • also a good time

And God, we had some good times, you know?

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Examples

  • We had a great time at the amusement park last weekend, riding all the roller coasters and eating cotton candy.

  • It's not a good time to stop.

  • OK, I guess this is a good time to take a break.

  • And God, we had some good times, you know?

  • Now, just to think, maybe it's a good time to do this.

  • I like to have a good time.

  • We had a good time, right?

  • We decided this was a good time for our first meal of the day.

    Academic text (2006)
  • I'm having a good time.

  • Amy, I'm here to have a good time.

Synonyms

fun
vsgood time
1.0

Causing people to have a good time

is the experience or period of enjoyment rather than the quality itself
blast
vsgood time
  • Informal
87 3.6

A very fun event where people enjoy themselves

is more moderate and can mean a generally enjoyable period
a whoppingly good time
vsgood time
  • Informal
6.7

A time that people enjoy very much

is less intense and more generally pleasant
mothertrucking good time
vsgood time
  • Offensive
9.9

A very fun time that people enjoy a lot

is neutral in tone rather than using slangy intensifiers

Antonyms

310 2.8

A feeling of great unhappiness and suffering

A time when someone has trouble

How Enjoyable

the time of one's life
  • Informal
29 3.7
blast
  • Informal
87 3.6
good time
1.0

Surface Forms

good time singular
good times plural

Morphology

good + time

The phrase is a straightforward adjective + noun composition: 'good' (providing pleasure) modifies 'time' (a period or occasion), so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer it means a period that is enjoyable. This follows a common, cross-linguistic compositional pattern and requires no idiomatic knowledge, making it immediately comprehensible.

Etymology

The phrase good time comes from joining good and time to imagine a time that goes well, like a sunny afternoon when everyone laughs. That's why it now means 'an enjoyable or exciting experience'.