GOODNESS GRACIOUS Meaning and
Definition
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"Goodness gracious" is an idiomatic phrase used to express surprise, shock, or astonishment. It is commonly used as an exclamatory statement or interjection in informal speech. The term often conveys a sense of disbelief, either positive or negative, and is colloquially employed to emphasize the intensity of one's reaction to a particular situation or event.
The phrase combines the word "goodness," which implies moral virtue, kindness, or positive qualities, and "gracious," which denotes elegance, courtesy, or a generous nature. Together, they create a highly expressive exclamation that conveys a strong emotional response.
"Goodness gracious" can be employed in a variety of contexts, including response to unexpected news, witnessing something surprising or astonishing, or as an interjection in everyday conversation. It can be used to express admiration, shock, disbelief, or even dismay, depending on the specific context and tone of the speaker.
The term is particularly prevalent in informal and conversational language, often used to add color, emphasis, or drama to a sentence. The phrase is recognized for its lively and attention-grabbing nature, making it an effective way to convey a heightened emotional reaction in a succinct and easily understood manner.
In summary, "goodness gracious" is an idiomatic expression used to convey surprise, shock, or astonishment in an informal and lively manner. This phrase reflects an intense emotional response to a given situation.
Common Misspellings for GOODNESS GRACIOUS
- foodness gracious
- voodness gracious
- boodness gracious
- hoodness gracious
- yoodness gracious
- toodness gracious
- giodness gracious
- gkodness gracious
- glodness gracious
- gpodness gracious
- g0odness gracious
- g9odness gracious
- goidness gracious
- gokdness gracious
- goldness gracious
- gopdness gracious
- go0dness gracious
- go9dness gracious
- goosness gracious
- gooxness gracious
Etymology of GOODNESS GRACIOUS
The phrase "goodness gracious" is an example of an exclamation used to express surprise, shock, or excitement. It is considered an idiomatic expression and doesn't necessarily have a direct or literal translation to its individual words.
The word "goodness" comes from the Middle English word "godnesse", which meant "goodness" or "virtue". This, in turn, came from the Old English word "godnes" or "godness", which also meant "goodness" or "divinity". The term "gracious" originated from the Latin word "gratiosus", meaning "pleasing" or "thankful".
By combining the words "goodness" and "gracious", the phrase "goodness gracious" became a way to convey surprise or astonishment using expressions associated with kindness and gratitude.
Idioms with the word GOODNESS GRACIOUS
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goodness gracious me
"Goodness gracious me" is an interjection or exclamation used to express surprise, shock, or astonishment. It is typically used when something unexpected or remarkable happens, and it conveys a sense of incredulity or disbelief.
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oh my goodness gracious
"Oh my goodness gracious" is an idiomatic expression used to express surprise, astonishment, or admiration. It is a polite and slightly old-fashioned way of showing shock or delight at something unexpected or remarkable.
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goodness gracious
"Goodness gracious" is an exclamation used to express surprise, shock, or astonishment. It is often used in a light-hearted or humorous way to convey a sense of disbelief or amazement.
