do well by doing good
Appearance
English
[edit]Etymology
[edit]The origin is unknown; in use since the late 19th century. Sometimes attributed to Benjamin Franklin.
Pronunciation
[edit]Audio (General Australian): (file)
Verb
[edit]do well by doing good (third-person singular simple present does well by doing good, present participle doing well by doing good, simple past did well by doing good, past participle done well by doing good)
- (idiomatic) To achieve social acceptance or financial success as a result of behaving in a benevolent or charitable manner.
- 1960, Albert D. Van Nostrand, The Denatured Novel, volume 3, Bobbs-Merrill, page 170:
- The sanctioning doctrine of Good Works has been at hand every since Benjamin Franklin canonized the Arminian Heresy. So Cash McCall, like his patron saint, does well by doing good.
- 1988, John Greenwald at al., "Japan From Superrich To Superpower," Time, 4 July:
- Of course, like most aid donors, Japan does well by doing good.
- 2006 January 27, Matthew Bishop, “View from Davos: Bono marketing his red badge of virtue”, in telegraph.co.uk, retrieved 21 January 2010:
- He wants companies selling Red products to make a profit by helping the poor—doing well by doing good.