Godspeed
a wish for a successful journey
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
To the words “GODSPEED, John Glenn” from Mission Control, he and America’s spirits soared to the heavens in the Friendship 7 spacecraft on February 20th 1962. He would return to space in 1998 for a last hurrah, aged 77.
Obituary: John Glenn, America's Space Hero. The astronaut and politician, died December 8th aged 95.
The Economist
Obituary: John Glenn, America's Space Hero. The astronaut and politician, died December 8th aged 95.
The Economist
Did you
know?
Godspeed
colloquial expression
- a wish for a prosperous journey
(Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary)
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WORD ORIGIN
To wish someone Godspeed is to ask for God's blessings on his or her endeavour, usually a long journey or a risky but potentially rewarding venture.
Some view Godspeed as an alternative to "good luck," which implies chance and randomness, not divine help. One might wish a relative embarking on a long business trip overseas "Godspeed" for example.
The confusion over the meaning of Godspeed, which is also written as god-speed or even god speed, lies in the definition of speed. The original meaning of the Old English word speed had nothing to do with velocity, but rather prosperity and good fortune. By adding God to form "Godspeed," it was an acknowledgment of God's generosity and blessing. In this context, speed was the acquisition of wealth and property through hard work and righteous behaviour.
Some sources suggest that Godspeed may have been a corruption of "good speed," a wish for a speedy journey aided by favourable winds and sailing conditions.
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SMUGGLE OWAD INTO A CONVERSATION TODAY
Say something like:
"We all join in wishing Marcus Godspeed as he leaves Germany to set up our new operation in China."
colloquial expression
- a wish for a prosperous journey
(Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary)
---
WORD ORIGIN
To wish someone Godspeed is to ask for God's blessings on his or her endeavour, usually a long journey or a risky but potentially rewarding venture.
Some view Godspeed as an alternative to "good luck," which implies chance and randomness, not divine help. One might wish a relative embarking on a long business trip overseas "Godspeed" for example.
The confusion over the meaning of Godspeed, which is also written as god-speed or even god speed, lies in the definition of speed. The original meaning of the Old English word speed had nothing to do with velocity, but rather prosperity and good fortune. By adding God to form "Godspeed," it was an acknowledgment of God's generosity and blessing. In this context, speed was the acquisition of wealth and property through hard work and righteous behaviour.
Some sources suggest that Godspeed may have been a corruption of "good speed," a wish for a speedy journey aided by favourable winds and sailing conditions.
---
SMUGGLE OWAD INTO A CONVERSATION TODAY
Say something like:
"We all join in wishing Marcus Godspeed as he leaves Germany to set up our new operation in China."
