# good thing

idiom · CEFR A1

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/good-thing
Updated: 2026-04-22

## Meaning

You say 'it's a good thing' to show you are happy that something happened, because it prevented a problem.

## Examples

- It is a good thing you brought an umbrella today.
- It is a good thing we checked the flight time, or we would have missed our plane.
- It is a good thing the driver reacted quickly, as the sudden storm made the roads incredibly dangerous for everyone.

## Origin

The phrase in this specific spelling originates from the 1930 publication 1066 and All That: A Memorable History of England, comprising all the parts you can remember, including 103 Good Things, 5 Bad Kings and 2 Genuine Dates. Written by W. C. Sellar and R. J. Yeatman, the work serves as a parody of British history textbooks and the selective, often fractured way in which historical facts are retained by the public. Within the text, the authors categorised historical events and figures according to their perceived contribution to the progress of the nation. An event that advanced the narrative of English success was labelled a Good Thing, while those that hindered it were dismissed. The deliberate capitalisation and simplified morality of the 103 Good Things provided a satirical shorthand for the way history was traditionally taught in British schools.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.