For Pete's sake

[0113] Good grief

🎲 Pissed off
English Idioms
All Idioms

Explanation

  • A mild exclamation expressing surprise, dismay, annoyance, exasperation, or sometimes weary resignation.
  • Famously associated with the character Charlie Brown from the Peanuts comic strip.

Origin

  • Likely originated as a euphemism for Good God in the mid-19th century.
  • Grief in this context means trouble, annoyance, or vexation, rather than deep sorrow or mourning.
  • Its popularity surged dramatically due to Charles M. Schulz's Peanuts comic strip, starting in 1950, where it became Charlie Brown's catchphrase.

Synonyms & Related Expressions

  • For Pete's sake
  • Oh brother
  • Sheesh / Jeez
  • My goodness / Goodness me
  • Oh dear / Dear me
  • Blimey (UK)
  • Crikey (Aus)
  • Wow (expressing dismay)

Alternatives

Slang/Informal:

  • Sheesh
  • Jeez
  • Wow (expressing surprise/dismay)
  • No way (expressing disbelief)
  • Yikes

Vulgar/Emphatic (Stronger reaction):

  • Holy shit / Holy crap
  • Jesus Christ
  • What the hell?
  • Bloody hell (UK/Aus)

Milder:

  • Oh dear / Dear me
  • My goodness / Goodness me / Gosh
  • Oh my
  • Well, I never (Dated, UK)

Situational Appropriateness

  • Informal to semi-formal.
  • It's very mild and generally inoffensive, making it usable in a wide range of situations, including casual workplace interactions. Safer than religious exclamations or stronger expressions.
  • Its association with Charlie Brown can sometimes give it a slightly quaint or humorous feel.

Misunderstanding Warnings

  • The connection to 'grief' meaning deep sorrow might confuse learners. Emphasize that here it means dismay, annoyance, or exasperation. It's a very mild expression.

Examples

  • Good grief, you managed to spill paint on the ceiling? (Dismay/Surprise)
  • You're telling me the meeting is cancelled again? Good grief! (Annoyance/Resignation)
  • Good grief, look at the time! I'm going to be late. (Mild panic/Surprise)

Dialogue

Supervisor: Jenkins, I need you to redo this entire report. The figures are all wrong.

Jenkins: (Sighing) Good grief. Okay, I'll get right on it.

Supervisor: Make sure it's accurate this time.

Social Media Examples

  • Tweet: Just looked at my 'screen time' report for the week. Good grief! 😅 Need to unplug more.
  • Facebook Post: My cat somehow managed to knock over the entire bag of flour. Good grief... what a mess! (Maybe with a picture)
  • Comment: Good grief, that's a terrible argument. Did you even read the source?

Response Patterns

  • Depends on the context.
  • May elicit an apology (Oops, sorry!), an explanation (It was an accident!), agreement (I know, right?), or simply be met with silence or a sympathetic nod.

Common Follow-up Questions/Actions

  • The speaker might shake their head, sigh, comment further on the situation (Good grief, this is going to take forever to clean up.), or address the cause of the issue.

Conversation Starter

  • No. A reaction to something specific, not an opener.

Intonation

  • Often said with a sigh, or a tone of weary disbelief, mild shock, or gentle exasperation.
  • Stress usually falls on GRIEF. Good GRIEF. Can also have stress on GOOD. GOOD grief.

Generation Differences

  • Understood by virtually all generations due to the enduring popularity of Peanuts.
  • Might be used more frequently or naturally by those who grew up reading the comic strip (Gen X, Boomers), but younger generations recognize it.

Regional Variations

  • Widely recognized, especially in American English due to Peanuts' cultural impact.
For Pete's sake
🎲 Pissed off