Etymology Journal ยท M
My word!
Meaning
- An expression used to signal surprise, indignation, or simply to emphasize a statement. It is an old-school way of saying 'I declare' or 'Honestly'.
Old-fashioned, proper
Used in a sentence
- My word, I have never seen such a beautiful garden in all my life.
- My word, you are early today!
- My word, that was a rude thing to say.
The backstory
This is a shortened version of 'I give you my word' or 'Upon my word'. It evolved from a promise of truth into an exclamation of disbelief or shock.
Heard in
Nationwide
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