Etymology Journal ยท L
Land of Goshen!
Meaning
- A mild expression of surprise, shock, or exasperation. It serves as a G-rated replacement for using the Lord's name in vain.
Old-fashioned, gentle
Used in a sentence
- Land of Goshen, look at the size of that tomato!
- Land of Goshen, I almost forgot to turn the oven off.
- Land of Goshen, where did you find those old photos?
The backstory
The phrase refers to the biblical land of Goshen, a place of plenty in ancient Egypt. It became a common interjection in the American South as a way to exclaim without being offensive.
Heard in
The South
Vibe check