goodwill

Meanings

1. A favorably disposed attitude toward someone or something.
2. The value of a business entity not directly attributable to its tangible assets and liabilities, deriving from factors such as consumer loyalty to the brand.
3. The ability of an individual or business to exert influence within a community, club, market or another type of group, without having to resort to the use of an asset (such as money or property), either directly or by the creation of a lien.
4. The willingness of a worker to perform activities not strictly within the scope of the employment contract and not just work to rule.
5. A thrift shop.

1. To voluntarily provide or cover (some or all of) the cost of something to maintain goodwill.

1. Alternative letter-case form of goodwill (“a thrift shop”).

1. A surname.

Etymology

From Middle English *goodwille, good wille (“goodwill”), perhaps from Old English *gōdwille (“goodwill”); compare Old English gōdwillende (“well-pleased”); also Scots guidwilly, guidwillie (“displaying goodwill”), equivalent to good + will. Cognate with Scots guidwill (“goodwill”), Middle Low German gūtwille (“goodwill”), Old High German guotwilligi (“goodwill”), Old Danish godvilje (“goodwill”), Icelandic góðvilji, góðvili (“goodwill”), Icelandic góðvild (“goodness”). The sense "thrift shop" is a genericized trademark of a US chain of such shops.