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Glite Dictionary
to turn to good account

to turn to good account

5.1
To use something in a way that gives you good results
  • phrasal verb
  • Archaic
translation icon : sacar provecho
  • She managed to turn her skills to good account in her new job.

Examples

  • We should turn our free time to good account and learn something new.

  • The chef tried to turn leftover ingredients to good account by creating a new dish.

  • She always turns to good account her skills.

  • We should turn to good account our resources!

  • She managed to turn her skills to good account in her new job.

  • The chef tried to turn leftover ingredients to good account by creating a new dish.

  • We should turn our free time to good account and learn something new.

Synonyms

to turn to gold
vsto turn to good account
3 6.8

Become very successful and make a lot of money

focuses on practical useful use rather than exceptional profit
to make a virtue of necessity
vsto turn to good account
1 8.2

To find the good side in something you cannot avoid

uses items or situations broadly to gain productive benefit

Antonyms

waste
469 1.2

Careless use of money, time, or other resources

to misuse
60 3.9

To do something wrong with money, objects, or power

How Useful

to leverage
114 5.4
to turn to good account
  • Archaic
5.1
to apply
374 2.8
to use
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

turn to good account infinitive
turned to good account past
turned to good account past participle
turning to good account present participle
turns to good account third person singular

Morphology

turn + to + good + account

The overall meaning ('make productive or advantageous use of') is largely built from the parts: 'turn' (direct or apply), 'good' (beneficial), and 'account' in the sense of 'use/advantage', so a learner who recognises that sense could piece the meaning together. However, the noun sense of 'account' here is somewhat formal/less frequent and the whole phrasing is somewhat idiomatic/dated, so a typical B1 learner who knows only basic senses may not fully predict the expression without exposure.

Etymology

Turn to good account paints a clear picture: you turn something you have into your account, like using leftover food to make a new dish to sell. That's why it means 'to use something in a helpful way or to make money'.