9. In phrases which express dependence upon or grateful recognition of divine providence.
a. if (or _and) God will (also dial. an Gothill, a Goddil); God willing, _ will God. (And God will was formerly sometimes used ironically, = _save the mark'.)
_1400 Rom. Rose 4561 Love shal never, if god wil, Here of me,_Offence or complaynt.
_1470 Henry Wallace iv. 766 Will God, I sall eschape this tresoune fals.
1526 Wolsey in St. Papers Hen. VIII (1830) I. 184 The said realme may yet, God willing, be preserved and releved.
1542 Becon Pathw. Prayer xlvi. R ij b, Monstures, Monckes I would haue sayd, & other religious parsons, and God wyll, as they desyre to be called.
1588 Marprel. Epist. (Arb.) 28 Naye (quoth Penrie) neuer so long as I liue god-willing.
1602 Shakes. Ham. i. v. 187.
_1688 H. Herbert in Reb. Warner Epist. Curios. Ser. i. 72 We both intend, God willing, to set forward for London on Munday next.
1706 Wycherley Let. to Pope in P.'s Lett. (1735) 25 Afterwards to spend two Months (God willing) with you, at Binfield.
1790 Mrs. Wheeler Westmld. Dial. (1821) 43 Ise find tea a maister, a goddil!
1825_80 Jamieson s.v. Gothill, An Gothill, if God will._ _In Gothill I'll be there'.
1835 Mrs. Carlyle Lett. I. 25 Next year, God willing, I shall see you all again.
b. by (_with) God's grace; by (with) God's help, assistance, blessing, etc.
832 Kentish Charter in O.E. Texts 40/11 Ic ceolnoð mid godes gefe ercebiscop.
13_ Sir Beues (A.) 412 Y nam no truant, be godes grace.
1500_20 Dunbar Poems xviii. 51, I sall, with Goddis grace, Keip his command.
1619 Sanderson Serm. ad Cler. i. (1689) 3, I shall by Gods assistance proceed_to inquire how [etc.].
1662 Bk. Com. Prayer, Catechism, Yes verily; and by Gods help so I will.
1859 Tennyson Enid 344 Here, by God's grace, is the one voice for me.
_ c. (and) God before (or to fore), under God's guidance. with God to friend: with God's help or protection. Obs.
_1374 Chaucer Troylus i. 1049 And dredelees, if that my lyf may laste, And god to-forn, lo, som of hem shal smarte.
_1400 Rom. Rose 7198 They shal neuere haue that myght And god to forne for strif to fight That [etc.].
_1450 Knt. de la Tour (1868) 14 Diuerse exsaumples, the whiche, and God before, ye shalle take hede of.
_1500 Melusine xxi. 127 For god before we tende & purpose to gyue bataylle to the Sawdan.
1533 J. Heywood Pard. & Friar B iv, I wyll neuer come hether more, Whyle I lyue and god before.
1590 Spenser F.Q. i. i. 28 So forward on his way (with God to frend) He passed forth.
1594 Kyd Cornelia iii. E 4 b, Els (god to fore) my selfe may liue to see His tired corse lye toyling in his blood.
1599 Shakes. Hen. V, i. ii. 307 For God before, Wee'le chide this Dolphin at his fathers doore.
1609 Drayton Cromwell 36 For in my skill his sound recouerie lies, Doubt not thereof if setting God before.
d. under God: as a secondary cause or mediate object of gratitude.
1607 Peele's Jests B 1 a, Yet, quoth he, vnder God, I wil doe him some good.
1619 in Crt. & Times Jas. I (1848) II. 170 The blessedness of this good work, under God, is to be attributed to the king alone.
e. thank God; God be thanked, praised, etc. _Earlier Gode Ãonc. Also praised (_loved) be God.
_1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 11 Unbileue is aiware aleid and rihte leue arered godeðonc.
1352 Minot Poems (Hall) i. 53 Bot, loued be God, Ãe pride es slaked Of Ãam [etc.].
1599 Shakes. Much Ado v. i. 190 You breake iests as braggards do their blades, which God be thanked hurt not.
1607 Peele's Jests B 1 b, The fellow told him God be praised, his good Landlord was well recouered.
1753 Scots Mag. July 320/2 Most of the landholders have now, thank God! abandoned that_religion.
1842 Tennyson Lady Clare 17 _O God be thank'd!_ That all comes round so just and fair.'
10. God (_it) wot (arch.; see goddot), God knows.
a. Used to emphasize the truth of a statement.
_1300 Cursor M. 4473 (Gött.) God wat_I sal vndo Ãe wele Ãi sueuen.
_1300 Havelok 2527 þer-of held he wel his oth, For he it [a priory] made, god it woth.
_1529 Skelton Col. Cloute 234 Than renne they in euery stede, God wot, with dronken nolles.
?_1550 Freiris Berwik 61 in Dunbar's Poems (1893) 287 He went fra hame, God wait, on Weddins_day.
1564 Coverdale Lett. Martyrs 77 It is impossible to set forth_al yt was (God knoweth) tumultuously spoken.
1590 Shakes. Com. Err. v. i. 229 The Chaine, Which God he knowes, I saw not.
1594 ---- Rich. III, ii. iii. 18 Stood the State so? No, no, good friends, God wot.
_1617 Bayne On Eph. i. (1643) 214 Commonly the most Christians are counted good men godwot, but simple soules, of no parts.
1859 Tennyson Elaine 197 God wot, his shield is blank enough.
b. Used with indirect question to imply that something is unknown to the speaker, and probably to every other human being.
1568 Grafton Chron. II. 98 The sayd John was had after in great suspicion, whether justly or unjustly God knoweth.
1646 Buck Rich. III, iii. 85 Their bodies were bestowed God wot where.
1822 Byron Werner iv. i. 51 The country_Is over-run with---God knows who.
1823 ---- Juan ix. lxvii, They fell in love;---she with his face, His grace, his God-knows-what.
11. In earnest appeals or exhortations, as for God's sake; for God's love; in (also _a, o') God's name; _ on or a God's half (see half n. 2 d). For the use of adjuratory forms to the same effect, see 14.
1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 8968 Madame he sede uor godes loue is Ãis wel ido þat Ãou Ães vnclene limes handlest.
_1300 Cursor M. 4798 (Cott.) Ga we alle, in gods name.
Ibid. 4800 (Gött.), I _ou pray for goddes sake [etc.].
_1386 Chaucer Prol. 854 What, welcome be the cut, a goddes name.
1548 W. Patten Exped. Scotl. K viij, These a Gods name wear their targettes again the shot of our small artillerie.
1583 Hollyband Campo di Fior 15 For God sake let not my tutor know it.
1593 Shakes. Rich. II, ii. i. 251 But what o' Gods name doth become of this?
1610 B. Jonson Alch. v. iii, For Gods sake, when will her Grace be at leasure?
1735 Pope Prol. Sat. 101 Hold! for God's sake---you'll offend.
1859 Tennyson Elaine 504 For God's love, a little air!
1864 ---- En. Ard. 505 For God's sake_let it be at once.
_ 12. God pays: a proverbial expression of indifference to the consequences of one's action. Obs.
1605 Lond. Prodigal C 1 b, There be some that bares a souldiers forme, That_Goes swaggering vp and downe from house to house, crying God payes.
1616 B. Jonson Epigr. i. xii. Lieut. Shift, His onely answere is to all, god payes.
1626 ---- Masque of Owls, Whom since they have shipt away, And left him God to pay.
** In oaths.
13. by God, _ before (or fore) God; also by God above, etc. (cf. by A 2).
From a desire to avoid actual use of the sacred name come various distorted or minced pronunciations of the word; see cock, dod, gad, gar, ged, gog, goles, golly, gom, gosh, gos(se, gud, gum; also adad, adod, bedad, begad, begar, ecod, egad, icod, igad. Of these forms only Cock and Gog are common before 1600; the others occur mainly in the 17th and 18th c. Gar is by the dramatists chiefly put in the mouths of foreigners (cf. 14).
1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 7000 Vor gode [v.r. By god] Ãe nexte king_ne _ef hom no_t folliche so muche.
_1300 Cursor M. 7934 _Bi godd o-liue', he suor his ath.
13_ Sir Beues (A.) 1098 _For gode', queà Beues, _Ãat ich do nelle'.
_1400 Gamelyn 469 It is nought wel served, by god that al made.
1460 Lybeaus Disc. 219 Be god Ãat bou_te me dere.
_1500 Melusine xxxvi. 293 By god, my lord, shame is therof to you.
1519 Interl. Four Elem. (Percy Soc.) 48 That is well sayd, be God Almyght!
_1540 Heywood Four P.P. (Copland) C iv, Pardoner. I thought ye lyed. Poticary. And so thought I by god that dyed.
1557 Interl. Youth B j b, I sweare by God in Trinitie I wyll go fetche him vnto the.
Ibid. B ij b, A wyfe nay nay for God auowe He shall haue fleshe inoughe.
1599 Porter Angry Wom. Abingt. (Percy Soc.) 22 Fran. Are they so? Comes. I, before God, are they.
1610 B. Jonson Alch. i. iii, 'Fore God, my intelligence Costs me more money, then my share oft comes too.
1617 Moryson Itin. ii. 157 By God, Sir, I will doe for Queene Elizabeth that which I will not doe for my selfe.
1841_4 Emerson Ess., Poet Wks. (Bohn) I. 170 He says with the old painter, _By God, it is in me, and must go forth of me'.
1885 Ormsby Don Quix. ii. xxxiv. III. 384 _By God and upon my conscience', said the devil, _I never observed it'.
a. if (or _and) God will (also dial. an Gothill, a Goddil); God willing, _ will God. (And God will was formerly sometimes used ironically, = _save the mark'.)
_1400 Rom. Rose 4561 Love shal never, if god wil, Here of me,_Offence or complaynt.
_1470 Henry Wallace iv. 766 Will God, I sall eschape this tresoune fals.
1526 Wolsey in St. Papers Hen. VIII (1830) I. 184 The said realme may yet, God willing, be preserved and releved.
1542 Becon Pathw. Prayer xlvi. R ij b, Monstures, Monckes I would haue sayd, & other religious parsons, and God wyll, as they desyre to be called.
1588 Marprel. Epist. (Arb.) 28 Naye (quoth Penrie) neuer so long as I liue god-willing.
1602 Shakes. Ham. i. v. 187.
_1688 H. Herbert in Reb. Warner Epist. Curios. Ser. i. 72 We both intend, God willing, to set forward for London on Munday next.
1706 Wycherley Let. to Pope in P.'s Lett. (1735) 25 Afterwards to spend two Months (God willing) with you, at Binfield.
1790 Mrs. Wheeler Westmld. Dial. (1821) 43 Ise find tea a maister, a goddil!
1825_80 Jamieson s.v. Gothill, An Gothill, if God will._ _In Gothill I'll be there'.
1835 Mrs. Carlyle Lett. I. 25 Next year, God willing, I shall see you all again.
b. by (_with) God's grace; by (with) God's help, assistance, blessing, etc.
832 Kentish Charter in O.E. Texts 40/11 Ic ceolnoð mid godes gefe ercebiscop.
13_ Sir Beues (A.) 412 Y nam no truant, be godes grace.
1500_20 Dunbar Poems xviii. 51, I sall, with Goddis grace, Keip his command.
1619 Sanderson Serm. ad Cler. i. (1689) 3, I shall by Gods assistance proceed_to inquire how [etc.].
1662 Bk. Com. Prayer, Catechism, Yes verily; and by Gods help so I will.
1859 Tennyson Enid 344 Here, by God's grace, is the one voice for me.
_ c. (and) God before (or to fore), under God's guidance. with God to friend: with God's help or protection. Obs.
_1374 Chaucer Troylus i. 1049 And dredelees, if that my lyf may laste, And god to-forn, lo, som of hem shal smarte.
_1400 Rom. Rose 7198 They shal neuere haue that myght And god to forne for strif to fight That [etc.].
_1450 Knt. de la Tour (1868) 14 Diuerse exsaumples, the whiche, and God before, ye shalle take hede of.
_1500 Melusine xxi. 127 For god before we tende & purpose to gyue bataylle to the Sawdan.
1533 J. Heywood Pard. & Friar B iv, I wyll neuer come hether more, Whyle I lyue and god before.
1590 Spenser F.Q. i. i. 28 So forward on his way (with God to frend) He passed forth.
1594 Kyd Cornelia iii. E 4 b, Els (god to fore) my selfe may liue to see His tired corse lye toyling in his blood.
1599 Shakes. Hen. V, i. ii. 307 For God before, Wee'le chide this Dolphin at his fathers doore.
1609 Drayton Cromwell 36 For in my skill his sound recouerie lies, Doubt not thereof if setting God before.
d. under God: as a secondary cause or mediate object of gratitude.
1607 Peele's Jests B 1 a, Yet, quoth he, vnder God, I wil doe him some good.
1619 in Crt. & Times Jas. I (1848) II. 170 The blessedness of this good work, under God, is to be attributed to the king alone.
e. thank God; God be thanked, praised, etc. _Earlier Gode Ãonc. Also praised (_loved) be God.
_1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 11 Unbileue is aiware aleid and rihte leue arered godeðonc.
1352 Minot Poems (Hall) i. 53 Bot, loued be God, Ãe pride es slaked Of Ãam [etc.].
1599 Shakes. Much Ado v. i. 190 You breake iests as braggards do their blades, which God be thanked hurt not.
1607 Peele's Jests B 1 b, The fellow told him God be praised, his good Landlord was well recouered.
1753 Scots Mag. July 320/2 Most of the landholders have now, thank God! abandoned that_religion.
1842 Tennyson Lady Clare 17 _O God be thank'd!_ That all comes round so just and fair.'
10. God (_it) wot (arch.; see goddot), God knows.
a. Used to emphasize the truth of a statement.
_1300 Cursor M. 4473 (Gött.) God wat_I sal vndo Ãe wele Ãi sueuen.
_1300 Havelok 2527 þer-of held he wel his oth, For he it [a priory] made, god it woth.
_1529 Skelton Col. Cloute 234 Than renne they in euery stede, God wot, with dronken nolles.
?_1550 Freiris Berwik 61 in Dunbar's Poems (1893) 287 He went fra hame, God wait, on Weddins_day.
1564 Coverdale Lett. Martyrs 77 It is impossible to set forth_al yt was (God knoweth) tumultuously spoken.
1590 Shakes. Com. Err. v. i. 229 The Chaine, Which God he knowes, I saw not.
1594 ---- Rich. III, ii. iii. 18 Stood the State so? No, no, good friends, God wot.
_1617 Bayne On Eph. i. (1643) 214 Commonly the most Christians are counted good men godwot, but simple soules, of no parts.
1859 Tennyson Elaine 197 God wot, his shield is blank enough.
b. Used with indirect question to imply that something is unknown to the speaker, and probably to every other human being.
1568 Grafton Chron. II. 98 The sayd John was had after in great suspicion, whether justly or unjustly God knoweth.
1646 Buck Rich. III, iii. 85 Their bodies were bestowed God wot where.
1822 Byron Werner iv. i. 51 The country_Is over-run with---God knows who.
1823 ---- Juan ix. lxvii, They fell in love;---she with his face, His grace, his God-knows-what.
11. In earnest appeals or exhortations, as for God's sake; for God's love; in (also _a, o') God's name; _ on or a God's half (see half n. 2 d). For the use of adjuratory forms to the same effect, see 14.
1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 8968 Madame he sede uor godes loue is Ãis wel ido þat Ãou Ães vnclene limes handlest.
_1300 Cursor M. 4798 (Cott.) Ga we alle, in gods name.
Ibid. 4800 (Gött.), I _ou pray for goddes sake [etc.].
_1386 Chaucer Prol. 854 What, welcome be the cut, a goddes name.
1548 W. Patten Exped. Scotl. K viij, These a Gods name wear their targettes again the shot of our small artillerie.
1583 Hollyband Campo di Fior 15 For God sake let not my tutor know it.
1593 Shakes. Rich. II, ii. i. 251 But what o' Gods name doth become of this?
1610 B. Jonson Alch. v. iii, For Gods sake, when will her Grace be at leasure?
1735 Pope Prol. Sat. 101 Hold! for God's sake---you'll offend.
1859 Tennyson Elaine 504 For God's love, a little air!
1864 ---- En. Ard. 505 For God's sake_let it be at once.
_ 12. God pays: a proverbial expression of indifference to the consequences of one's action. Obs.
1605 Lond. Prodigal C 1 b, There be some that bares a souldiers forme, That_Goes swaggering vp and downe from house to house, crying God payes.
1616 B. Jonson Epigr. i. xii. Lieut. Shift, His onely answere is to all, god payes.
1626 ---- Masque of Owls, Whom since they have shipt away, And left him God to pay.
** In oaths.
13. by God, _ before (or fore) God; also by God above, etc. (cf. by A 2).
From a desire to avoid actual use of the sacred name come various distorted or minced pronunciations of the word; see cock, dod, gad, gar, ged, gog, goles, golly, gom, gosh, gos(se, gud, gum; also adad, adod, bedad, begad, begar, ecod, egad, icod, igad. Of these forms only Cock and Gog are common before 1600; the others occur mainly in the 17th and 18th c. Gar is by the dramatists chiefly put in the mouths of foreigners (cf. 14).
1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 7000 Vor gode [v.r. By god] Ãe nexte king_ne _ef hom no_t folliche so muche.
_1300 Cursor M. 7934 _Bi godd o-liue', he suor his ath.
13_ Sir Beues (A.) 1098 _For gode', queà Beues, _Ãat ich do nelle'.
_1400 Gamelyn 469 It is nought wel served, by god that al made.
1460 Lybeaus Disc. 219 Be god Ãat bou_te me dere.
_1500 Melusine xxxvi. 293 By god, my lord, shame is therof to you.
1519 Interl. Four Elem. (Percy Soc.) 48 That is well sayd, be God Almyght!
_1540 Heywood Four P.P. (Copland) C iv, Pardoner. I thought ye lyed. Poticary. And so thought I by god that dyed.
1557 Interl. Youth B j b, I sweare by God in Trinitie I wyll go fetche him vnto the.
Ibid. B ij b, A wyfe nay nay for God auowe He shall haue fleshe inoughe.
1599 Porter Angry Wom. Abingt. (Percy Soc.) 22 Fran. Are they so? Comes. I, before God, are they.
1610 B. Jonson Alch. i. iii, 'Fore God, my intelligence Costs me more money, then my share oft comes too.
1617 Moryson Itin. ii. 157 By God, Sir, I will doe for Queene Elizabeth that which I will not doe for my selfe.
1841_4 Emerson Ess., Poet Wks. (Bohn) I. 170 He says with the old painter, _By God, it is in me, and must go forth of me'.
1885 Ormsby Don Quix. ii. xxxiv. III. 384 _By God and upon my conscience', said the devil, _I never observed it'.

