Good gracious is an exclamation used to express surprise, amazement, or mild exasperation. It appeared in English in the 18th century as a polite, euphemistic way to invoke God without swearing, part of a broader pattern of mild oaths and expressions of astonishment. People used it in everyday speech, literature, and theater to react strongly but politely. Today it sounds old-fashioned, genteel, and inoffensive, often adding a polite, emphatic, or slightly dramatic tone to expressions of surprise or mild frustration.

What is the origin of the idiom "good gracious" and when to use it?

Определение и значение слова «good gracious» на английском языке

Download Mobile App