good sense
good sense — noun
1. knowing how to make sensible, practical decisions in everyday situations by thin
knowing how to make sensible, practical decisions in everyday situations by thinking clearly about what is reasonable and safe
Hana had the good sense to grab an umbrella when dark clouds filled the sky.
have the good sense to + verb — acting wisely in a situation
Kwame showed good sense by checking the train times online before leaving the house.
It takes good sense to tell a real bargain from a clever scam.
The restaurant owner used good sense and closed the kitchen when the power started flickering.
Nobody with any good sense would leave a toddler alone near an unfenced swimming pool.
- common sense
more about widely shared practical knowledge than personal judgment ability
- prudence
more formal; emphasises caution and avoiding risk
- judgment
broader term covering both good and bad decisions
- foolishness
the general opposite — acting without thinking
- recklessness
specifically about ignoring danger or risk
文法句型
have the good sense to + verb
show good sense
it takes good sense to + verb
用法筆記
Frequently collocates with verbs like have, show, use, and take. The pattern 'have the good sense to do something' is the most common structure for this sense.
常見錯誤
2. sound judgment that seems to come from instinct or life experience, without the
sound judgment that seems to come from instinct or life experience, without the person having been formally taught or having to reason things out carefully
Emilia's good sense told her the shortcut through the dark alley was a terrible idea.
good sense as an inner voice: 'good sense told her'
The old farmer had good sense about the weather — the kind no textbook could teach.
good sense about + noun — instinctive judgment in a domain
You cannot study for that kind of interview — it just takes good sense.
Dmitri relied on good sense rather than instructions when putting the bookshelf together.
Fatima's good sense about people meant she spotted the dishonest salesman within five minutes.
- intuition
more about a sudden feeling than a steady quality of judgment
- instinct
broader — covers all innate behaviour, not just judgment
- gut feeling
informal; describes a single moment of instinct rather than a lasting trait
文法句型
good sense told + pronoun
good sense about + noun
rely on good sense
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 (PRACTICAL JUDGMENT): this sense emphasises instinct or gut feeling rather than careful reasoning. Often describes someone who 'just knows' without being able to explain why.