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Re: Scare the jeepers out of me
Posted by David FG on June 25, 2006
In Reply to: Re: Scare the jeepers out of me posted by pamela on June 25, 2006
: : : : : Hi ,
: : : : : would you tell me what does it meen "scare the jeepers out of me"?
: : : : : thank you : : : :
: : : : It simply means to give you a great fright. 'Jeepers' here is an arbitrary word which doesn't really mean anything and the phrase is frequently used with alternatives used in its place. : : : : DFG : : :
: : : "Jeepers" is a minced form of "Jesus". It occurs in the phrase "jeepers creepers" (="Jesus Christ"). A commoner form of your phrase is "scare the bejeezus/bejasus out of me". "Bejasus" (variously spelt) is a phonetic form of the Irish pronunciation of "By Jesus". : :
: : You are, of course, correct. But why "scaring the 'Jesus'" (in one or other minced form) should be a particularly advanced form of scaring is a mystery to this Irishman who thinks that 'bejasus' is used far more frequently by those attempting to imitate the Irish than by the genuine article. : : We don't say (contrary to popular opinion) say 'begorrah' much, either. : : DFG : And I've never said "gidday mate" nor heard it in the wild very often. Pamela 'strewth, mate, is that fair dinkum Sheila? (sorry) DFG
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