do-gooder

See also: dogooder

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

do good + -er

Noun

do-gooder (plural do-gooders)

  1. (derogatory) One who advocates a certain course of action, often of political or social concern, with the naive conviction of their own moral superiority.
    Prohibition in the United States was an unsuccessful attempt by do-gooders to save people from the dangers of alcohol, whether they wanted to be saved or not.
    • 1979, Monty Python's Life of Brian, spoken by Ex-Leper (Michael Palin):
      I was hopping along, minding my own business. All of a sudden, up he comes, cures me. One minute I'm a leper with a trade, next minute my livelihood's gone. Not so much as a by-your-leave! “You're cured mate.” Bloody do-gooder.

Translations

See also

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