No good deed goes unpunished
- No good deed goes unpunished
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The phrase 'No good deed goes unpunished' is a sardonic commentary on the frequency with which acts of kindness backfire on those who offer it. In other words, because life is inherently unfair, those who help others are doomed to suffer as a result of their being helpful.
It has been attributed to several luminaries, including Clare Boothe Luce,[1] Billy Wilder,[2] American financier John P. Grier, banker Andrew W. Mellon,[3] and Oscar Wilde.[4]
It also appears in the chorus of the song "No Good Deed" from the musical, Wicked. The phrase's origin is unknown.
References
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no good deed goes unpunished — Sometimes attributed to Oscar Wilde, but not traced in his writings. 1938 J. AGATE Ego 3 25 Jan. 275 Pavia was in great form to day: ‘Every good deed brings its own punishment.’ 1967 J. ORTON Diaries (1986) 13 June 209 Very good line George came… … Proverbs new dictionary
no good deed goes unpunished — This means that life is unfair and people can do or try to do good things and still end up in a lot of trouble … The small dictionary of idiomes
No good deed — can refer to the adage No good deed goes unpunished ; as a proper name, it can refer to: No Good Deed, a 2002 film No Good Deed (song), a song from the Broadway musical Wicked No Good Deed (CSI: NY), a 2009 CSI: NY episode No Good Deed… … Wikipedia
good — see if you can’t be good, be careful a good beginning makes a good ending there’s many a good cock come out of a tattered bag no good deed goes unpunished he is a good dog who goes to church the good die young … Proverbs new dictionary
deed — see the better the day, the better the deed no good deed goes unpunished … Proverbs new dictionary
unpunished — see no good deed goes unpunished … Proverbs new dictionary
Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs, Thematic Index — absence absence makes the heart grow fonder he who is absent is always in the wrong the best of friends must part blue are the hills that are far away distance lends enchantment to the view out of sight, out of mind … Proverbs new dictionary
Luce, Clare Boothe — orig. Ann Clare Boothe born March 10, 1903, New York, N.Y., U.S. died Oct. 9, 1987, Washington, D.C. U.S. politician, dramatist, and socialite. She was born into poverty to parents who never married. From 1930 to 1934 she worked as an editor at… … Universalium
List of characters in the Blue Dragon series — The characters of Blue Dragon were designed by Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama. The anime version expands the characters backgrounds as well as provide personalities to the Shadows, making them more than just extensions of the Shadow Wielder.… … Wikipedia
Steve Lopez — (Steven M. Lopez) est un romancier et journaliste américain, chroniqueur au Los Angeles Times depuis 2001. Il est né en 1953, en Californie, de parents d immigrants espagnols et italiens. Vie et la carrière Lopez a étudié à la State University de … Wikipédia en Français
