to good purpose

to good purpose

To something's most positive, most effective, or most beneficial utility. Twenty years later, he's finally putting those programming skills to good purpose, designing tracking software for local park rangers to help combat poaching. The seminar aims to help people channel their negative emotions and impulses to good purpose, translating that energy into creative expression. Yeah, I was laid off, but I turned my time off to good purpose and traveled the world.
See also: good, purpose
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

to good purpose

To effective use, as in A donation to the homeless shelter will be put to good purpose. This idiom was first recorded in 1553. Also see to little or no purpose.
See also: good, purpose
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

to little/good/some/no ˈpurpose

(formal) with little, good, etc. result or effect: Another meeting was held, to little purpose. She had used the profits to good purpose and upgraded their software.
See also: good, little, no, purpose
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

to good purpose

With good results.
See also: good, purpose
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
See also:
  • to little/good/some/no purpose
  • crowning glory
  • proof of the pudding, the
  • the proof of the pudding
  • do for
  • do for (someone or something)
  • done for
  • a track record
  • run its course, to
  • run/take its course
References in periodicals archive
And while her affected Locust Valley lockjaw probably doesn't endear her to the middle-class women she's targeting, she does marshal her middle-class ethnic background to good purpose in her books and magazine.
Cinnamon womyn
Among Sorel's works are Le Proces de Socrate (1889), an anti-intellectualist tract; Introduction a l ' economie moderne (1903), a hopeful view of technology controlled and used to good purpose by man; and Les Illusions de progres (1908).
Sorel, Georges
``Players are comfortable on the ball, are happy to receive it and always aim to use it to good purpose. ''
Football: We won't score seven this time; WELSH PREMIER Rhyl chief expecting a tougher test against Town
Kieren Fallon and Mark Johnston team up rarely, but when they do, it's to good purpose. Torrens has plenty to recommend him besides the
Three to watch today
Lima could use home advantage to good purpose against 500-1 Wentworth shocker Scott Drummond in the Paris 72-holers.
Sport Betting: Expect in-form Lima to shine
It was a slope that Caldy did not use to good purpose in the first period and on eight minutes they found themselves three points behind when prop Bailey kicked a penalty.
Rugby union: Bad start for Caldy; Aspull .................... 6 Caldy.................... 3
He would not mind paying were he convinced that he got "money's worth" and that his payments were devoted to good purpose. Unfortunately he is well aware that most of them are wasted on crazy projects of armament or adventure all over the globe.
Daily Mirror 100 years: Post Date