for goodness' sake

English

Alternative forms

• for goodness sake (nonstandard)

Etymology

A euphemistic replacement of "God" in for God's sake.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fɔɹ ˈɡʊdnəs seɪk/
• IPA^(key): /fə ˈɡʊdnəs seɪk/

Prepositional phrase

for goodness' sake

1. (idiomatic, euphemistic) Used to express frustration, exasperation, annoyance.

   For goodness' sake, get off the computer! You've been on there for ages!

   • 2015 April 28, Tracey Spicer, “Taming tiny terrors: How to have a happy family holiday”, in The Press:

     You're 47, for goodness' sake. Too old for this!

   • 2017 May 1, Dana Johannsen, “What happens when you watch six hours of ANZ Premiership netball?”, in New Zealand Herald:

     She's 1.98m for goodness sake! How can you not find her!?

2. (idiomatic, euphemistic) Used to express surprise or amazement.

   For goodness' sake, I spelled that word correctly. I never knew I could do that.

   • 1921, Printers' Ink Monthly - Volumes 3-4, page 42:

     No salesman is ever a bore if he can make us throw up our hands and say, "Well, for goodness' sake! What do you know about that ?" Yes, surprise is the thing.

   • 2008, Walter Isaacson, Einstein: His Life and Universe, →ISBN:

     “For goodness' sake,” Einstein exclaimed. “So that was the famous caviar!" He paused for a moment, then added, "Well, if you offer gourmet food to peasants like me, you know they won't appreciate it."

   • 2014, Louise Millar, The Hidden Girl: A Novel, →ISBN, page 179:

     For goodness' sake, we go to Spain for a week and get new next-door neighbors! How lovely!

   • 2016 November 24, Te Ahua Maitland, “Woman celebrating 100th birthday receives 50 double-ups on cards”, in The Southland Times:

     I thought, for goodness' sake, fancy them being the same!

3. (idiomatic, euphemistic) Used for emphasis
   • 1888, Harrison and Morton, The Tippecanoe Campaign Songster:

     They'll try all they can to deceive and to cheat, But for goodness sake don't say I told you.

   • 2012 -, Hazel Holt, No Cure for Death, →ISBN:

     Well, for goodness sake let me know if I can do anything.

   • 2013 August 26, Bryony Gordon, “'I am not normally a stickler for tradition – I had a baby out of wedlock, for goodness sake'”, in The Telegraph:

     I am not normally a stickler for tradition – I had a baby out of wedlock, for goodness sake – but for some reason I want Harry to be my husband.

   • 2017 May 9, “Time for former champions to start again”, in Taranaki Daily News:

     But for goodness sake, please review the plan and come up with detail that distinguishes each groups cultural identity and is something that the players can own.

   • 2017 May 14, Susan Estrich, “Mothers and memories”, in The Exponent Telegram:

     These young women are busy, for goodness' sake, tired and overworked, stressed, trying to find time for themselves in days that have too little.

Synonyms

• for God's sake
• for Christ's sake
• Jesus Christ!
• Christ almighty!
• for fuck's sake
• FFS (abbreviation)
• for crying out loud
• for Pete's sake