Etymology Journal ยท G
Good heavens!
Meaning
- A polite and old-fashioned way to express surprise or shock. It is often used when reacting to something slightly scandalous or unexpectedly intense.
Polite, dramatic
Used in a sentence
- Good heavens, I didn't expect you to arrive two hours early.
- Good heavens, that is a very expensive dress.
- Good heavens, hold onto the railing or you will fall.
The backstory
This dates back centuries as a way to exclaim about something celestial without technically swearing. It reflects a genteel era of speech.
Heard in
Nationwide
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