Godspeed

See also: godspeed, God-speed, and God speed

English

Alternative forms

• God-speed
• God speed
• godspeed

Etymology

From Middle English phrase God spede (“may God cause you to succeed”), from God (“God”) + spede, singular subjunctive of spedan (“to prosper”), from Old English spēdan, from spēd (“success”) (see English speed).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɡɒdˈspiːd/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ɡɑdˈspid/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Interjection

Godspeed

1. (dated) The wish that the outcome of someone's actions is positive for them, typically someone about to start a journey or a daring endeavor.
   • 1925-29, Mahadev Desai (translator), M.K. Gandhi, The Story of My Experiments with Truth, Part I, chapter xi:

     I arrived at last, did obeisance to my uncle, and told him everything. He thought it over and said: ' […] At the threshold of death, how dare I give you permission to go to England, to cross the seas? But I will not stand in your way. It is your mother's permission which really matters. If she permit you, then godspeed! Tell her I will not interfere. You will go with my blessings.'

   • 1962 February 20, Scott Carpenter, (Please provide the book title or journal name):

     Godspeed, John Glenn.

   • 2007 May 12, Peter Steinfels, “At Commencement, a Call for Religious Literacy”, in New York Times‎^[1]:

     And godspeed.

Noun

Godspeed (plural Godspeeds)

1. (dated) A statement of wishing someone a prosperous journey, or success.
   • 1678, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim's Progress:

     Evangelist, after he had kissed him, gave him one smile, and bid him God-speed.

   • 1848, Anne Brontë, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall:

     "I'm wishing you God-speed, Hattersley," cried Arthur, "and aiding you with my prayers."

   • 1879, Henry James, Roderick Hudson:

     Rowland at the garden gate was giving his hostess Godspeed on her way to church.

   • 1884 November 2, “Thon”, in The Critic and Good Literature‎^[2], number 44, page 210:

     The new word has received a number of godspeeds, some of which we quote.

   • 1914, James Joyce, Dubliners:

     Eight years before he had seen his friend off at the North Wall and wished him God-speed.

Synonyms

• farewell
• goodbye
• good luck

Related terms

• God bless you
• God forbid
• godsend

Translations

wish that the outcome of someone's actions is positive for them

• Arabic: بِالتَوْفِيق‎ (bi-t-tawfīq), فِي مَعِيَّة اللّٰه‎ (fī maʿiyya(t) allāh)

  Egyptian Arabic: بتوفيق‎ (betaufiʔ), ربنا معاك‎ (rabena maʕaak)

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 一路順風 (zh), 一路顺风 (zh) (yīlùshùnfēng)

• Dutch: ga met God, succes (nl) n
• Estonian: Õnnelikku reisi
• Finnish: onnea matkaan
• French: bonne chance (fr), bon courage (fr), que Dieu soit avec toi/vous
• German: viel Erfolg!
• Greek: καλό κατευόδιο (kaló katevódio), καλή τύχη (kalí týchi)

• Hebrew: בהצלחה‎ (he) (behatzlaha)
• Kurdish:

  Northern Kurdish: oxira xêrê be (ku)

• Latvian: ar Dievpalīgu
• Lithuanian: Sudie
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: lykke til, Gud være med deg

• Polish: powodzenia (pl), z Bogiem (pl)
• Portuguese: vai com Deus
• Russian: пожела́ние уда́чи n (poželánije udáči), с богом (s bogom)
• Spanish: vaya con Dios, buena suerte
• Swedish: lycka till (sv)
• Turkish: Yolun açık olsun, Selametle, bol şans