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goodness
God knows
1. No one knows (except for God). God knows how long it will take for my application to be processed. A: "How do you think you did on your exam?" B: "God knows!"
2. It is absolutely true, certain, or definite that; it is obvious or clear that. God knows I need to do well on this test or I can kiss my scholarship goodbye!
goodness gracious
A mild exclamation of surprise, alarm, dismay, annoyance, or exasperation. Goodness gracious, look at the time! How is it nearly midnight already? Goodness gracious, Bill, would it kill you to take out the trash once in a while? Goodness gracious, that cyclist nearly hit me!
goodness gracious me
A mild exclamation of surprise, alarm, dismay, annoyance, or exasperation. Goodness gracious me, look at the time! How is it nearly midnight already? Goodness gracious me, I'll never get this report finished on time!
goodness knows
1. No one knows. (A variant of "God knows.") Goodness knows how long it will take for my application to be processed. A: "How do you think you did on your exam?" B: "Goodness knows!"
2. It is true, certain, or definite that; it is obvious or clear that. Goodness knows I need to do well on this test, or I can kiss my scholarship goodbye!
goodness me
A mild exclamation of surprise, alarm, dismay, annoyance, or exasperation. Goodness me, look at the time! How is it nearly midnight already? Goodness me, I'll never get this report finished on time!
oh my goodness gracious
A?mild?exclamation?of?surprise,?alarm,?dismay,?annoyance,?or?exasperation. Oh my goodness gracious, what a generous gift! Oh my goodness gracious! Don't scare me like that!
For Pete's sake!
and For pity's sake!; For the love of Mike!; For goodness sake!; For gosh sake!; For heaven('s) sake!a mild exclamation of surprise or shock. For Pete's sake! How've ya been? For pity's sake! Ask the man in out of the cold!
Honest to goodness.
and Honest to God.; Honest to Pete.I speak the truth. (Some people may object to the use of God in this phrase.) Did he really say that? Honest to goodness? Honest to Pete, I've been to the South Pole.
(My) goodness (gracious)!
a general expression of interest or mild amazement. Bill: My goodness! The window is broken! Andy: I didn't do it! Bill: Who did, then? "Goodness! I'm late!" said Kate, glancing at her watch. "Goodness gracious! Are you hurt?" asked Sue as she helped the fallen student to his feet.
*out of the goodness of one's heart
Fig. simply because one is kind. (*Typically: be something ~; do something ~.) What are you going to pay me? You don't expect me to do this out of the goodness of my heart, do you?
Thank goodness!
and Thank heavens!Oh, I am so thankful! John: Well, we finally got here. Sorry we're so late. Mother: Thank goodness! We were all so worried. Jane: There was afire on Maple Street, but no one was hurt. Bill: Thank heavens!
for God's sake
(rude) also for God's sakes I am surprised or annoyed by this
for Christ's sake For God's sake, Eleanor, what happened to your hair? It's time we started worrying about educating our children, for God's sake. At three-thirty in the morning, for God's sake, my dog decided to have her puppies. Usage notes: used for emphasis
Etymology: based on the literal meaning of for God's sake (in the name of or for God)
honest to God
(spoken) this is really true
honest to goodness I didn't tell her about the party, honest to God! Usage notes: also used as a modifier: It was an honest to God mix-up.
thank God
(spoken) be pleased or happy Thank God no one was in the way or on the sidewalk when the bus went out of control. Thank God for John Hopkins - he has been a friend when my family needed friends.
Related vocabulary: thank goodnessfor goodness' sake
(spoken) also for goodness sakes I am surprised or annoyed by this
for Pete's sake For goodness' sake, Harry, what are you doing at this time of night? Well, for goodness sakes, why didn't you tell me that earlier so I could have changed my plans? Usage notes: used for emphasis and often used instead of the more offensive idioms for God's sake and for Christ's sake
honest to goodness
(spoken) this is really true honest to God I'll be there on Tuesday, honest to goodness!
thank goodness
(spoken) I am pleased or happy
thank heavens My husband cleans the barn every day, thank goodness. Usage notes: often used instead of the more offensive idiom thank God
honest to God
(informal) something you say in order to emphasize that you are telling the truth I didn't mean to hurt him, honest to God I didn't!
honest-to-goodness
an honest-to-goodness thing or person is plain, simple, and exactly what they appear to be (always before noun) I'd much rather have an honest-to-goodness steak than any of the fancy stuff he cooks.
for God's sake
for the sake of
1. Also for one's sake. Out of consideration or regard for a person or thing; for someone's or something's advantage or good. For example, For Jill's sake we did not serve meat, or We have to stop fighting for the sake of family unity. [Early 1200s]
2. For the purpose or motive of, as in You like to quarrel only for the sake of an argument. [Early 1200s]
3. for God's sake. Also
for goodness or heaven's or Pete's or pity's sake . An exclamation showing surprise, impatience, anger, or some other emotion, depending on the context. For example,
For God's sake, I didn't expect to see you here, or
Hurry up, for goodness sake, or
For heaven's sake, how can you say such a mean thing? or
For pity's sake, finish your dinner. The variants are euphemisms for God. [c. 1300] For a synonym, see
for the love of, def. 2.
God knows
Also, goodness knows; heaven knows.
1. Truly, certainly, definitely, as in God knows I need a winter coat. This expression, which originated about 1300 as God wot, does not necessarily imply that God is all-knowing but merely emphasizes the truth of the statement it accompanies. The variants using goodness and heaven are euphemisms that avoid taking God's name in vain. [Second half of 1500s]
2. Also, God only knows. Only God knows, that is, neither I nor anyone else knows, as in God knows where I've stored those photos, or God only knows how many people will join the march. [Second half of 1500s]
goodness gracious
Also, good gracious; gracious sakes. Exclamation of surprise, dismay, or alarm, as in Goodness gracious! You've forgotten your ticket. Both goodness and gracious originally alluded to the good (or grace) of God, but these colloquial expressions, which date from the 1700s, are not considered either vulgar or blasphemous.
honest to God
Also, honest to goodness or Pete ; honest Injun. Truly, really, as in Honest to God, I didn't know it was yours, or Honest to goodness, we had exactly the same experience, or I promise I'll finish in time, honest to Pete, or Honest Injun, I didn't take your wallet. These colloquial assertions date from about 1900, except for honest Injun, dating from the late 1800s and today considered offensive.
my God
Also, my goodness. Expressions of shock, surprise, or dismay, as in My God, don't tell me he's dying, or My goodness, what an awful outfit. The first term dates from about 1800; goodness in the variant is a euphemism for God.
thank God
Also, thank goodness or heaven . I'm grateful, as in Thank God you arrived safely, or We didn't, thank goodness, run out of food, or Thank heaven the book arrived on time. These ejaculations originally expressed gratitude to divine providence but today tend to be used in a more casual way. [c. 1200]