do good—
1. be beneficial (usually with a quantifier):
- You could try taking a higher dose of Vitamin C; it might do some good.
2. help through charitable work:
- Sometimes I doubt if she will be as ready to begin doing good again.
Cf.: dogooder—(derog.) a well-meaning but unrealistic or ineffective philanthropist (who tries to “do good”):
- Amateur “do-gooders” could slip up when certain medical attention was needed.
Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase do well—
1. (Progressive Tense) make a good recovery (from illness, etc.):
- She has completed her treatments and is doing well.
2. become professionally or financially successful:
- These are things I did and I did well as a nurse and a nurse’s aide.
3. (followed by Infinitive) be well-advised to act in a particular way:
- The corporation will do well to accept the union’s demands.
make good—
1. = do well 2:
- Then she got a job in the hospital and made good as a nurse.
2. reimburse or refund smth.:
- If the article is defective, you should take it back and ask them to make good.