good deal

good deal (plural good deals)

1. (idiomatic, usually singular, often with indefinite article) Large number, amount, or extent.

   He made a good deal of trouble for us.

   We have a good deal of territory to cover.

   The audience is generally unaware of the good deal of work that goes into its creation.

   • 1838, Edgar Allan Poe, How to Write a Blackwood Article:

     You may make a good deal of that little fact if properly worked.

   • 1825-29, Mahadev Desai (translator), M.K. Gandhi, The Story of My Experiments with Truth, Part I, chapter xvi^[1]:

     A friend suggested that, if I really wanted to have the satisfaction of taking a difficult examination, I should pass the London Matriculation. It meant a good deal of labour and much addition to my stock of general knowledge, without any extra expense worth the name. I welcomed the suggestion. But the syllabus frightened me. Latin and a modern language were compulsory!

   • 1956 February, R. C. Riley, “The Lymington Railway and Isle of Wight Ferry”, in Railway Magazine, page 82:

     She is popular with passengers as an all-weather vessel, but rather the reverse with yachtsmen as she has at times proved somewhat unwieldy, and certainly takes up a good deal of space in the narrow channels.

2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see good,‎ deal.

   I can offer you a good deal on that van.

   There are plenty of good deals on flights.

• a good deal
• great deal

good deal

1. (informal, especially Southern US) Excellent! Used to indicate approval, or agreement.

   You got everything packed? Good deal!

   • 2002, Dale McGowan, Calling Bernadette's Bluff: A Novel, page 32:

     "You lucky duck! Say, how's Connor!!! Is he three now!!" "He's five, actually, and doing just great!" "Five!! Oh good deal! Gosh, I haven't seen him in ages! He must be getting SO BIG!"

   • 2011 April 5, Traci Foust, Nowhere Near Normal: A Memoir of OCD, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN, page 20:

     "Hi Ted," my mom said. She handed him pillows and duffel bags. Everyone's ready." "Good deal. Let's hit the road."

   • 2020 November 18, Kevin Johnson, Bridging the Gap, The Wild Rose Press Inc, →ISBN:

     "So, they will be ready to go come Friday?" he asked. I gave him another thumbs up. […] "They will be ready." "Good deal. If anything changes, just let me know."