Definition of "make good"

America does vaguely feel a man making good as something analogous to a man being good or a man doing good.

1925, Gilbert K. Chesterton, What I Saw in America‎, page 94

The moment DJay becomes a rapper, the moment he becomes an artist, is linked to his own understanding of what hip hop was about when Skinny Black, his idol, a local homeboy who made good as a rapper, was “blowing up."

2007, Michael Eric Dyson, Know What I Mean?: Reflections on Hip-Hop‎

He [Eisenhower] was their own, the boy who made good.

2012, Robert Wuthnow, Red State Religion: Faith and Politics in America's Heartland‎, page 200

The Bank of the Commonwealth suspension resulted from overcertifying the checks of its former president, Edward Haight, to the amount of $225,000, of which Mr. Haight could only make good $60,000.

1996, Eugene Nelson White, Stock Market Crashes and Speculative Manias, page 225

After all the players who determine to go in have made good the bet of the player who opened the Jack Pot, and the hands have been filled […]

1885, William Brisbane Dick, The American Hoyle: Or, Gentleman's Hand-book of Games

By a remarkable piece of railway reconstruction work on the part of the Allied Forces—mainly South African railway construction troops—mines laid along the track by the retreating enemy were removed by sappers, and the German damage made good, within 7 days.

1944 March and April, “The Western Desert Railway”, in Railway Magazine, page 73

[…] the only action that will be required prior to decoration will be to wash down, make good and apply a fresh paint system.

2005, Roy Hughes, Painting and Decorating‎, page 44