Prepositions – What’s the Meaning of “Be Good of Somebody”?

prepositions

“I should like very much to see her,” thought the soldier; but he could not obtain permission to do so. However, he passed a very pleasant time; went to the theatre, drove in the king’s garden, and gave a great deal of money to the poor, which was very good of him;

This is a part of the fairy tale "The Tinder-Box" by Hans Christian Andersen.

"which was very good of him", I don't have the faintest idea what it means.

What's the meaning of "be good of sb"?

And what's the difference with "be good for sb"?

Best Answer

In the sentence good of you, the preposition of has the following meaning:

used after an adjective when judging someone's behaviour:

  • It was mean of you to mention her weight.
  • Thank you so much for my present. How thoughtful of you.

(Cambridge Dictionary)

Good for someone:

resulting in something good or desirable for (someone or something)

  • Regular exercise is good for you.
  • Hot soup is good for a cold.
  • Being with friends is especially good for him right now.

(M-W)

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