good

commodity

an economic PRODUCT which is produced to meet some personal or business demand. Goods which are purchased by individuals are called consumer goods or final goods, while goods purchased by businesses are referred to variously as producer goods, capital goods, industrial goods or intermediate goods.

Some consumer goods (nondurables), such as bread and toothpaste, are used up immediately or within days of purchase, while others, referred to as consumer durables, such as cars, washing machines and televisions, are ‘consumed’ over a time scale often running into several years and are often considered to constitute part of an individual's personal assets or wealth.

Producer goods are items which are purchased by manufacturers, etc. to be used as factor inputs in producing other goods or services. They too may be used up in the short term (for example nuts and bolts, engines, etc.) as the production cycle repeats itself, or they may constitute the firm's stock of longer-lasting (durable) fixed capital assets such as plants, equipment and machinery The provision of goods (for example, a motor car, a perfume etc.) involve a number of characteristics which set them apart from the provision of a SERVICE (for example, window cleaning), in particular tangibility - the ability of a customer to see, touch, taste or smell the good, and separability - the fact that goods are typically produced and consumed at different points in time and thus can be stored. See MARKETING.

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References in classic literature

He had a nest thatched with leaves in the top of a tall tree; and he had a little squirrel wife called Goody.

TIMMY TIPTOES sat out, enjoying the breeze; he whisked his tail and chuckled --"Little wife Goody, the nuts are ripe; we must lay up a store for winter and spring." Goody Tiptoes was busy pushing moss under the thatch--"The nest is so snug, we shall be sound asleep all winter." "Then we shall wake up all the thinner, when there is nothing to eat in spring-time," replied prudent Timothy.

WHEN Timmy and Goody Tiptoes came to the nut thicket, they found other squirrels were there already.

The first little bird flew into the bush where Timmy and Goody Tiptoes were quietly tying up their bags, and it sang--"Who's- bin digging-up MY nuts?

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Goody Brown had great advantage of Molly in this particular; for the former had indeed no breasts, her bosom (if it may be so called), as well in colour as in many other properties, exactly resembling an antient piece of parchment, upon which any one might have drummed a considerable while without doing her any great damage.

A country fellow, scratching his head, answered him: "I don't know, measter, un't I; an't please your honour, here hath been a vight, I think, between Goody Brown and Moll Seagrim."

Upon which, forgetting the sex of Goody Brown, or perhaps not knowing it in his rage--for, in reality, she had no feminine appearance but a petticoat, which he might not observe--he gave her a lash or two with his horsewhip; and then flying at the mob, who were all accused by Moll, he dealt his blows so profusely on all sides, that unless I would again invoke the muse (which the good-natured reader may think a little too hard upon her, as she hath so lately been violently sweated), it would be impossible for me to recount the horse-whipping of that day.

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"Then Goody Cloyse knows her old friend?" observed the traveller, confronting her and leaning on his writhing stick.

But--would your worship believe it?--my broomstick hath strangely disappeared, stolen, as I suspect, by that unhanged witch, Goody Cory, and that, too, when I was all anointed with the juice of smallage, and cinquefoil, and wolf's bane"

"I may not spare you my arm, Goody Cloyse; but here is my staff, if you will."

He had cast up his eyes in astonishment, and, looking down again, beheld neither Goody Cloyse nor the serpentine staff, but his fellow-traveller alone, who waited for him as calmly as if nothing had happened.

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Goody Falourdel, have you brought that leaf into which the crown which the demon gave you was transformed?

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