AMinced version offor God's sake.
Prepositional phrase
[edit]forgoodness'sake
- (idiomatic, euphemistic)Used to expressfrustration,exasperation,annoyance.
For goodness' sake, get off thecomputer! You've been on there for ages!
2015 April 28, Tracey Spicer, “Taming tiny terrors: How to have a happy family holiday”, inThe Press:You're 47,for goodness' sake. Too old for this!
2017 May 1, Dana Johannsen, “What happens when you watch six hours of ANZ Premiership netball?”, inNew Zealand Herald:She's 1.98mfor goodness sake! How can you not find her!?
- (idiomatic, euphemistic)Used to expresssurprise oramazement.
For goodness' sake, I spelled that word correctly. I never knew I could do that.
1921,Printers' Ink Monthly - Volumes 3-4, page42:No salesman is ever a bore if he can make us throw up our hands and say, "Well,for goodness' sake! What do you know about that ?" Yes, surprise is the thing.
2008, Walter Isaacson,Einstein: His Life and Universe,→ISBN:“For goodness' sake,” Einstein exclaimed. “So that was the famous caviar!" He paused for a moment, then added, "Well, if you offer gourmet food to peasants like me, you know they won't appreciate it."
2014, Louise Millar,The Hidden Girl: A Novel,→ISBN, page179:For goodness' sake, we go to Spain for a week and get new next-door neighbors! How lovely!
2016 November 24, Te Ahua Maitland, “Woman celebrating 100th birthday receives 50 double-ups on cards”, inThe Southland Times:I thought,for goodness' sake, fancy them being the same!
- (idiomatic, euphemistic)Used foremphasis
1888, Harrison and Morton,The Tippecanoe Campaign Songster:They'll try all they can to deceive and to cheat, Butfor goodness sake don't say I told you.
2012 -, Hazel Holt,No Cure for Death,→ISBN:Well,for goodness sake let me know if I can do anything.
2013 August 26, Bryony Gordon, “'I am not normally a stickler for tradition – I had a baby out of wedlock, for goodness sake'”, inThe Telegraph:I am not normally a stickler for tradition – I had a baby out of wedlock,for goodness sake – but for some reason I want Harry to be my husband.
2017 May 9, “Time for former champions to start again”, inTaranaki Daily News:Butfor goodness sake, please review the plan and come up with detail that distinguishes each groups cultural identity and is something that the players can own.
2017 May 14, Susan Estrich, “Mothers and memories”, inThe Exponent Telegram:These young women are busy,for goodness' sake, tired and overworked, stressed, trying to find time for themselves in days that have too little.
used to express frustration, exasperation, annoyance
used to express surprise or amazement
