Why do people say heavens to betsy

For phrases that contain names that are genuinely eponymous, that is, named after a known person or fictional character, it isn't difficult to trace the person concerned, as in ' sweet Fanny Adams ', ' kiss me Hardy ' etc. When we come to phrase like 'Mickey Finn ', ' happy as Larry ', where there is doubt as to the named person, a strong case can be made to suggest that the names were invented.

That seems to be the case with Betsy. But the name it comes from is one of the most British sounding names you can possibly imagine. In , a new punk rock band was formed. In all honesty, this band was never particularly big. Even when they were in their heyday, most people would not have heard of them. Saying expressions of shock that talk about God or Heaven or not used to insult God but to ask him for guidance. The 19th century gave us a fantastic wealth of idioms. The phrase comes from the 19th century, and while it was trendy during the s, it has since become less popular.

Many debates are surrounding this phrase. Who was Betsy? Why did we stop using it? Learn more. What is the origin of the phrase "Heavens to Betsy"? Ask Question. Asked 10 years, 8 months ago. Active 9 months ago. Viewed 16k times. I believe it is primarily an American phrase, used as an exclamation: Heavens to Betsy, no! I would never do such a thing! What is the origin of that phrase? Do we know who Betsy is? Improve this question. Malady 6 6 silver badges 19 19 bronze badges. The oldest instance in Google Books is from google.

I expect there might be embedded in its development some reference to Saint Elizabeth. One wonders whether it wasn't the invention of some author, in an attempt to produce an "oath" which sounded "real" but carried no serious connotation. Seems like someone should be able to come up with a better answer than the accepted one, which is only " I am of the opinion Nothing hiding behind a possible use as a euphemism? Did you have a specific connection in mind? This brand-new episode follows Professor Good N' Well, our in-house expert on history and humor, as he attempts to unveil the true identify of the Betsy referenced in the expression "Heavens to Betsy.

Professor Good N' Well not only uses the honest educated guesses of interviewees but reveals the historical context of the expression. It relates to women of the Prohibition era; however, there is much disagreement regarding the original references. Some sources trace her identity back to the Revolutionary War; others say Betsy is actually Betsy Ross, the maker of the first American flag.