good graces
Appearance
English
[edit]Pronunciation
[edit]Audio (General Australian): (file)
Noun
[edit]- (idiomatic) Favorable regard; personal approval; kindly treatment.
- 1831, Sir Walter Scott, My Aunt Margaret's Mirror:
- [H]e had insinuated himself into the good graces of an ancient and rich burgomaster, and, by his handsome person and graceful manners, captivated the affections of his only child.
- 1897, Mark Twain [pseudonym; Samuel Langhorne Clemens], “[Pudd’nhead Wilson] Chapter 6”, in The Tragedy of Pudd’nhead Wilson: And the Comedy Those Extraordinary Twins, Hartford, Conn.: American Publishing Company, →OCLC, page 77:
- [T]he twins' charm of manner and easy and polished bearing made speedy conquest of the family's good graces.
- 1910, Lucy Maud Montgomery, chapter 16, in Kilmeny of the Orchard:
- David had, in the space of an hour, captured Mrs. Williamson's heart, wormed himself into the good graces of Timothy, and become hail-fellow-well-met with old Robert.
- 1960 July 11, Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird, Philadelphia, Pa.; New York, N.Y.: J[oshua] B[allinger] Lippincott Company, →OCLC:
- Calpurnia appeared in the front door and yelled, “Lemonade time! You all get in outa that hot sun ‘fore you fry alive!” Lemonade in the middle of the morning was a summertime ritual. Calpurnia set a pitcher and three glasses on the porch, then went about her business. Being out of Jem’s good graces did not worry me especially. Lemonade would restore his good humor.
- 1996 February 6, Clifford Krauss, “New York's Thin, Angry Blue Line”, in New York Times, retrieved 26 December 2012:
- That has prompted leaders of the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association to threaten to withhold support for the Mayor's re-election bid. "He's not in our good graces now," said Louis Matarazzo, the P.B.A. president. "We're not endorsing anyone now."
- 2008 November 18, Jay Newton-Small, “Why the Democrats — and Obama — Forgave Lieberman”, in Time[1], archived from the original on 1 January 2013:
- Joe Lieberman has never been shy about speaking his mind […] , leaving his fate as chairman of the Homeland Security Committee and member of the Democratic caucus to depend on the good graces of Senate Democrats.
- 2025 July 18, Nicholas Florko, “Make Coca-Cola Great Again”, in The Atlantic[2]:
- Agreeing to remove a controversial ingredient is a way to get in the administration’s good graces and can be a good business move—even if your foods are largely still unhealthy.
Usage notes
[edit]- Now often found in the phrase "in [someone's] good graces" or "into [someone's] good graces".
Synonyms
[edit]References
[edit]- “good graces”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.