it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Also seen as: it's an ill wind that blows no good · it's an ill wind that blows no one any good · it's an ill wind that blows nobody good
Meaning · English
An action or occurrence must be very bad indeed if it brings no benefit to anyone.
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good” mean?
An action or occurrence must be very bad indeed if it brings no benefit to anyone.
Is “it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.