it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good

proverb

An action or occurrence must be very bad indeed if it brings no benefit to anyone.

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Meanings

proverb

alternative it's an ill wind · alternative it's an ill wind that blows nobody good · alternative it's an ill wind that blows no good · alternative it's an ill wind that blows no one any good

  1. An action or occurrence must be very bad indeed if it brings no benefit to anyone.

Translations

French à quelque chose malheur est bon
  • à quelque chose malheur est boneven a very bad situation must have some good results
Irish ní thig olc i dtír nach fearrde duine éigin
  • ní thig olc i dtír nach fearrde duine éigineven a very bad situation must have some good results
Spanish no hay mal que por bien no venga
  • no hay mal que por bien no vengaeven a very bad situation must have some good results
Cite this entry
APA

it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/it's%20an%20ill%20wind%20that%20blows%20nobody%20any%20good

MLA

“it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/it's%20an%20ill%20wind%20that%20blows%20nobody%20any%20good. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/it's%20an%20ill%20wind%20that%20blows%20nobody%20any%20good.

Source: it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.