for Christ's sake
1
9.2
- idiom
- Offensive
- We taught them how to do it, for Christ's sake!
- For Christ's sake, stop
- Get out, for Christ's sake
- Oh, for Christ's sake
Examples
-
Our kids play Little League together for Christ's sake, Bill.
-
Will you for Christ's sake tell me the story?
-
Come on out and help me, for Christ's sake!
-
A human life is at stake here for Christ's sake!
-
Show some honor, for Christ's sake.
-
Open the door for Christ's sake.
-
Now, for Christ's sake, go on up and cut it down.
-
You work in a hospital, for Christ's sake.
Fiction book (1995) -
For Christ's sake, get rid of those shoes.
-
Come on out and help me, for Christ's sake!
Synonyms
∞
5.4
Say it to show disbelief, irritation, or to urge someone
∞
8.9
An angry or surprised question showing you do not believe something
448
7.5
A small amount of care or worry about something
98
7.5
To show strong feeling, often as an urgent plea
66
8.2
You say this when you feel very annoyed or impatient
55
7.6
People say it to show impatience or anger
52
7.9
Words people say to show strong surprise, anger or urgency in a question
47
9.9
Adds strong anger or surprise to what you say
43
9.9
A very rude phrase people say to show strong anger or annoyance
37
7.6
Say it when you are annoyed to ask someone to do or stop something
35
8.7
A phrase that shows frustration or annoyance
30
8.4
A short phrase people say when they feel frustrated or disappointed
29
9.9
Say it to show strong anger, frustration, or urgency, and it is rude
26
9.0
Shows someone is annoyed, impatient, or in a hurry when spoken
23
9.9
A strong rude shout people use when they feel very angry or shocked
21
8.4
A short angry cry people say when they feel annoyed or frustrated
21
9.9
People say a strong angry word when they feel very annoyed
10
7.3
People say it to show surprise, anger, or a strong need for an answer
5
8.2
A person asks angrily and urgently for someone to act now
3
9.7
A strong spoken request or cry that shows shock and anger
2
9.9
Words people say when they are very annoyed or want something done quickly
1
9.9
A short old word people say to show surprise or strong feeling
1
9.3
To ask or beg strongly when you are upset
1
9.9
To show strong frustration and make a request sound urgent
How Annoyed
Surface Forms
Morphology
for + Christ's + sake
The phrase uses the familiar pattern 'for X's sake' but its function as an emphatic expletive expressing annoyance or urgency is not the literal 'for the benefit of Christ' that a learner would predict from the constituents. Because many languages use similar religious exclamations (e.g. 'por el amor de Dios'), the construction gives a clue, so the expression is partially but not fully predictable to a B1 learner.
Etymology
For Christ's sake began as a simple plea to Christ, said when something was urgent or needed fast action. Because the words sounded strong, people later used them to make a request or command more urgent or annoyed, so today it adds a sense of 'urgency' or 'annoyance'.