English Language Article 65, Informal Usage: “a goner, a good egg, a good friend, a goody two shoes.” Definitions and Origins.
Michael D. Powers, Ph.D., USCCI
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English Language Article 65, Informal Usage: “a goner, a good egg, a good friend, a goody two shoes.” Definitions and Origins.
1) a goner
by Nobutimjustaspeck September 15, 2017
145 agree 7 disagree
Origin
A good explanation in etymonline.com is given for the origin of “goner:”
“goner (n.)
"something dead or about to die, person past recovery, one who is done for in any way," 1836, American English colloquial, from gone + -er (1). From earlier expressions such as gone goose (1830), gone coon, etc.
also from 1836
Entries linking to goner
"hopeless, beyond recovery," 1590s, past-participle adjective from go (v.). In jazz slang as a superlative from 1946.
English agent noun ending, corresponding to Latin -or. In native words it represents Old English -ere (Old Northumbrian also -are) "man who has to do with," from Proto-Germanic -ari (cognates: German -er, Swedish -are, Danish -ere), from Proto-Germanic -arjoz. Some believe this root is identical with, and perhaps a borrowing of, Latin -arius (see -ary).
Generally used with native Germanic words. In words of Latin origin, verbs derived from past participle stems of Latin ones (including most verbs in -ate) usually take the Latin ending -or, as do Latin verbs that passed through French (such as governor); but there are many exceptions (eraser, laborer, promoter, deserter; sailor, bachelor), some of which were conformed from Latin to English in late Middle English.
The use of -or and -ee in legal language (such as lessor/lessee) to distinguish actors and recipients of action has given the -or ending a tinge of professionalism, and this makes it useful in doubling words that have a professional and a non-professional sense (such as advisor/adviser, conductor/conducter, incubator/incubater, elevator/elevater).”
2) a good egg
A person who can be trusted due to good reputation
9 agree 2 disagree
Origin
In the case of the origin of “good egg” it is possible to pinpoint its first use in the novel “Captain Priest” by Samuel A. Hammet, and its meaning as decent and reliable. Having been thoroughly studied in the 20th century it can be shown that it decent people are described as good eggs.
Examples follow below that were written in Grammar-Monster.com:
“Examples of Use:
3) a good friend
A good friend is someone who won’t drop you right after you do something bad. They’ll give you the benefit of the doubt and will always be there for you. It’s not someone who will tear you down, but build you up. If your friend seems to be jealous of you and keeps trying to compete with you, you should distance them for a while. But you have to be a good friend too or you can’t expect love from every person you meet. You might also need to our yourself in their shoes. They could be going through a rough time and trying to find themselves. But if your friend is constantly insulting you or saying they hate you, you never to drop them ASAP! Take a quiz maybe to see if they’re toxic or not. But if they’re not supportive of you and they always try to make you feel bad for doing stuff with other people and stuff then that’s a huge red flag! Your friend should be loyal, caring, and supportive.
You: I think I wanna switch schools A Good friend: where? That’s exciting but I’m gonna miss you A Bad friend: seriously? Ugh please don’t leave me! You always do this
by Hohnrv May 18, 2019
23 agree 0 disagree
Origin
I do not have the origin of this phrase, “good friend.” However, I did find an interesting classification of four types of friendship: acquaintance, casual, good, intimate.
Following I copy from this article the differences between these four types of friendships:
“The 4 levels of friendship
It’s common to have lots of acquaintances, several casual friends, and only one or two close or intimate friends. Friendships require more time and effort to maintain, and research suggests that it’s difficult to hold on to more than 50 good friends at a time.[1]
Some people prefer casual friendships and loose ties. Some are only interested in spending time with close friends. Others like to have friends from all categories. However, research shows that it’s healthy to have a varied social circle that includes different types of friends.[2]
In general, non-romantic relationships fit into one of the following categories:
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1. Acquaintances
These are people you recognize and who recognize you. You may chat to them occasionally, know some basic facts about them, and make small talk.
For example, if you are acquainted with your neighbor, you might know their full name and what kind of job they do. Or, if you have acquaintances at work, you might make small talk with them in the break room about your jobs.
Acquaintances are polite and friendly when they happen to meet, but they don’t make plans to see one another. For example, if you’ve met someone at the library on several occasions and chatted about books without making firm plans to see each other again, they would fall into the acquaintance category.
2. Casual friends
Casual friends enjoy one another’s company and usually make plans to meet up. Unlike acquaintances, casual friends go beyond shallow topics during conversations. They tend to go beneath the surface and share slightly more personal things.
For example, an acquaintance might tell you their job title and where they work. A casual friend might share that they don’t like their coworkers much and are thinking of looking for a new job. However, at this stage, you don’t share sensitive personal information or open up about delicate or controversial topics. For example, you probably wouldn’t tell a casual friend about your relationship problems.
This kind of friendship is usually based on a shared hobby, job, or situation. For example, perhaps you have a friend at work you eat lunch with a couple of times per week because they are fun to hang out with. Or maybe you’ve met someone you like at a hobby-based group and occasionally grab a coffee together and talk about your shared interest.
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3. Close friends
At this level, two people feel and show meaningful affection and concern for one another. Compared to casual friends, close friends usually want to see each other more often and offer more emotional support.[3]
Here are some other common characteristics of close friendships:
They may refer to themselves as “good friends.” Research shows it takes around 200 hours of quality contact time to build a close friendship.[4] If you see each other often—for example, if you live in the same college dorm—it’s possible to become close within a few weeks.[4]
4. Intimate friends
An intimate friendship is similar to a close friendship. Intimate friends trust, accept, and support one another. However, an intimate friendship involves an even deeper sense of connection. With an intimate friend, very few topics are off-limits; you might feel able to talk about anything and everything. The friendship feels safe and familiar. Another term for an intimate friend is “best friend.”
4) a goody two shoes
Is a person who is always sweet, nice and follow the rulers perfectly. THey never do anything bad or rebellious. This word isn't a compliment- it has the connotation of a person who always acts good and is a little bit arrogant about it, showing off their perfect behavior.
He is a goody two shoes.
Origin
The following is copied from Wikipedia regarding the origin of the idiom “good two-shoes:”
“Although The History of Little Goody Two-Shoes is credited with popularizing the term "goody two-shoes", the actual origin of the phrase is unknown. For example, it appears a century earlier in Charles Cotton's Voyage to Ireland in Burlesque (1670):[8]
Mistress mayoress complained that the pottage was cold; 'And all long of your fiddle-faddle,' quoth she. 'Why, then, Goody Two-shoes, what if it be? Hold you, if you can, your tittle-tattle,' quoth he.
The name is used herein to point out the mayoress's comparative privilege; "Goody" (a shortening of "Goodwife"),[9] being the equivalent of "Mrs." and "Two-shoes", implicitly comparing her to people who have no shoes.”
Sources
Urban Dictionary
Sources