great Scott en · INTJ
Pronunciation
- /ɡɹeɪt skɒt/
Etymology
Uncertain or disputed. May come from either the Scottish novelist Walter Scott, so called in some poems, or Gen. Winfield Scott of the American Civil War, who weighed about 300 pounds and was referred to by his troops as "Great Scott". Alternately, perhaps a corruption of German grüß Gott! (“Good day!, Hello!”, literally “May God greet (thee)!”), or a euphemism for great Satan or good God.
Meanings
-
(dated) An exclamation of surprise or amazement
‘You’re late.’ ‘Great Scott!’ exclaimed Bob amazedly. ‘I had no idea it was as late as this.’
1937, Ion L. Idriess, Over the Range, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, published 1947, page 249:The paddle-plug attached to the lightning rod on the clock tower is yanked out, and the cable drops down from the clock tower! / [EMMETT] BROWN / Great Scott! Kid---find the end of that cable---I'll throw the rope down to you!
1984 October 12, Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale, Back to the Future, 4th draft, →OCLC, archived from the original on 11 Aug 2021, section 145, page 114:“It's all clear,” he whispered. “Have you the chisel and the bags. Great Scott! Jump, Archie, jump, and I’ll swing for it!” Sherlock Holmes had sprung out and seized the intruder by the collar. The other dived down the hole, and I heard the sound of rending cloth as Jones clutched at his skirts.
1891 [August], A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Adventure II.—The Red-Headed League.”, in Geo[rge] Newnes, editor, The Strand Magazine: An Illustrated Monthly, volume II (July to December), number [8], London: […], page 202, column 2:Don’t understand? Land of—why, you see—you see—why, great Scott, can’t you understand a little thing like that? Can’t you understand the difference between your—why do you look so innocent and idiotic!
1889, Mark Twain [pseudonym; Samuel Langhorne Clemens], A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, New York, N.Y.: Charles L. Webster & Company, →OCLC, page 130:"Great Scott!" said Mr. Jamieson. "I didn't think things were as serious as that."
1943, H. Lorna Bingham, The Lost Tribe, Sydney: Winn and Co., page 15, column 1:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| great Scot | alternative | lexicographic |
Synonyms
Translations (10)
fi herranjestas (exclamation of surprise or amazement) · ja 何だる事だ (exclamation of surprise or amazement) · fr nom de Zeus (exclamation of surprise or amazement) · it per Bacco baccone (exclamation of surprise or amazement) · it cospetto (exclamation of surprise or amazement) · sv jösses (exclamation of surprise or amazement) · it per Bacco bacchissimo (exclamation of surprise or amazement) · it diamine (exclamation of surprise or amazement) · it perbacco (exclamation of surprise or amazement) · th แม่เจ้าโว้ย (exclamation of surprise or amazement)