Jiminy Cricket
- idiom
- /ˈdʒɪməni ˈkrɪkɪt/
- Archaic
:
¡Jiminy Cricket!
- Jiminy Cricket! That was unexpected!
Examples
-
Jiminy Cricket, I can't believe you did that!
-
Jiminy Cricket, don’t sneak up on me like that!
-
Jiminy Cricket, I can’t believe how fast that was!
-
Jiminy Cricket, it’s cold outside tonight!
-
Jiminy Cricket, I can’t believe how fast that was!
-
Jiminy Cricket, it’s cold outside tonight!
-
Jiminy Cricket, don’t sneak up on me like that!
Synonyms
24
9.9
A word people say to show mild surprise
17
9.4
A short informal cry showing surprise or strong feeling
4
9.9
A short informal word people say when they feel surprise, shock, or annoyance
4
9.5
A short word people say when they are surprised or shocked
1
9.9
A short informal word people say to show surprise or shock
An old-fashioned word people say to show disbelief or annoyance
A short shout showing surprise or disbelief
A loud informal shout that shows surprise, shock, or strong annoyance
Surface Forms
Morphology
Jiminy + Cricket
The expression 'Jiminy Cricket' is an idiomatic interjection whose meaning ('a mild exclamation of surprise or annoyance') cannot be derived from the literal constituents; knowing 'cricket' (the insect or sport) and an unfamiliar name 'Jiminy' gives no predictable path to this use. It is a fixed euphemistic/minced oath (historically from 'Jesus Christ') and thus language-specific and unpredictable for a B1 learner, making it opaque without prior exposure.
Etymology
The phrase Jiminy Cricket may come from people changing the name 'Jesus Christ' to a softer saying so they would not swear, and it was made famous by the small cricket in Disney's Pinocchio who often reacts to surprises. That's why Jiminy Cricket is used as a mild exclamation for 'surprise' or 'annoyance'.