Godspeed meaning (literary): definition, etymology and quotations

Godspeed

intj

UK /ˌɡɒdˈspiːd/ · US /ˌɡɑdˈspid/

Etymology Univerbation of God speed, elliptical for God speed you, where speed carries the archaic sense “help, further, cause to prosper”. Compare God bless, God damn.

Literary Used, especially at a parting, to express the wish that the outcome of a person's actions be positive for them; typically said to someone who is about to start a journey or a daring endeavour.

3 [Citizen]. Neighbours, God ſpeed. / 1 [Citizen]. Giue you good morrovv ſir.c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii], page 184, column 2:
Duke. God ſpeed father. / 1. Mad[man]. God ſpeed the Plough, thou ſhalt not ſpeed me.1604, Thomas Dekker, Thomas Middleton, “The Honest Whore, […]”, in The Dramatic Works of Thomas Dekker […], volume II, London: John Pearson […], published 1873, →OCLC, Act I, scene i, page 80:

4 more examples

At the threshold of death, how dare I give you permission to go to England, to cross the seas? But I will not stand in your way. It is your mother's permission which really matters. If she permit you, then godspeed! Tell her I will not interfere. You will go with my blessings.1927, M[ohandas] K[aramchand] Gandhi, “Preparation for England”, in Mahadev Desai, transl., The Story of My Experiments with Truth: Translated from the Original in Gujarati, volume I, Ahmedabad, Gujarat: Navajivan Press, →OCLC, part I, page 95:
So all of America watched at 9:47 a.m. on Feb. 20, 1962, as [John] Glenn took off from Cape Canaveral. Scott Carpenter, backup astronaut for the mission, famously said: "Godspeed, John Glenn."1962 February 20, Scott Carpenter, quotee, “Godspeed, John Glenn”, in USA Today, McLean, Va.: Gannett Co., published 8 December 2016, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 09 Jul 2021:
So, class of 2007, join in. And godspeed.2007 May 12, Peter Steinfels, “At commencement, a call for religious literacy”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 26 Nov 2022:
Thanks, Gordie. May you live long and stay well, too. Godspeed.2008, Ron Benrey, Janet Benrey, chapter 14, in Season of Glory (Love Inspired Suspense), New York, N.Y.: Steeple Hill Books, →ISBN, page 155:

Related terms: God bless you, God forbid, godsend, God willing, well-wisher

Godspeed

noun

Etymology Univerbation of God speed, elliptical for God speed you, where speed carries the archaic sense “help, further, cause to prosper”. Compare God bless, God damn.

Literary The wishing of someone a smooth journey, or success, especially at a parting; (countable) a statement expressing this.

Yff there come eny vnto you and brynge not this learnynge⸝ hym receave not to houſſe: nether bid hym god ſpede. For he that biddeth hym God ſpede⸝ is part taker off his evyll dedes.1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, 2 John:[10–11], folio ccc, recto:
Then Chriſtian took his leave of his Friend, and he again bid him God ſpeed.1678, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World, to That which is to Come: […], London: […] Nath[aniel] Ponder […], →OCLC, page 18:

4 more examples

Ber[inthia]. Speed her vvell. / VVor[thy]. Ay, but there muſt be more than a God ſpeed, or your Charity vvon't be vvorth a farthing.1696 November (first performance), [John Vanbrugh], The Relapse; or, Virtue in Danger: […], [London]: […] Samuel Briscoe […], published 1697, →OCLC, Act V, scene ii, page 90:
He never danced himself, and there he sat, poking his head in my face, and impressing all the beholders with the idea that he was a confirmed, acknowledged lover; my aunt looking complacently on, all the time, and wishing him God-speed.1848, Acton Bell [pseudonym; Anne Brontë], “The Warnings of Experience”, in The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. […], volume I, London: T[homas] C[autley] Newby, […], →OCLC, page 279:
[I]n the morning, as Rowland at the garden gate was giving his hostess Godspeed on her way to church, he came striding along the grassy margin of the road and out-whistling the music of the church bells.1875 January–December, Henry James, Jr., “Rowland”, in Roderick Hudson, Boston, Mass.: James R[ipley] Osgood and Company, late Ticknor & Fields, and Fields, Osgood, & Co., published 1876, →OCLC, page 28:
Mr. C[harles] C[rozat] Converse's new pronoun [thon] of the singular number and common gender has met with a warm welcome from philologists and the press. […] The new word has received a number of godspeeds, some of which we quote.1884 November 1, “Thon”, in J[eanette] L[eonard], J[oseph] B[enson] Gilder, editors, The Critic: A Literary Weekly, Critical and Eclectic, volume II, number 44, New York, N.Y.: The Good Literature Publishing Co., →OCLC, page 210, column 1:

Archaic, Figuratively, Literary Chiefly in in the Godspeed of: the most important part of something, or point at which something happens; also, the last minute or last moment.

But a Devil came in juſt in the God-ſpeed, and told them; Gentlemen Philoſophers, (ſays he) if you vvould knovv the VVretched'ſt, and moſt contemptible thing in the VVorld; It is an Alchymiſt: […]1667, Francisco de Quevedo Villegas, “The Sixth Vision of Hell”, in R[oger] L[’Estrange], transl., The Visions of Dom Francisco de Quevedo Villegas, […], London: […] H[enry] Herringman […], →OCLC, page 247:
But juſt in the Godſpeed, the Plot vvas Diſcover'd.1688, Roger L’Estrange, “Bedloe and Prance Swore to the Plot as well as to the Murther”, in A Brief History of the Times, &c. Part III. Treating of the Death of Sir E[dmund] B[erry] Godfrey, London: […] R. Sare, […], →OCLC, part I, page 19:

1 more example

I udn't mind seeing her come in when I was in the godspeed of washday, and that's saying something.1941, Flora Thompson, “‘A Bit of a Tell’”, in Lark Rise to Candleford: A Trilogy, London: Penguin Books, published 1945 (1973 printing), →ISBN, page 291:

Figuratively, Literary In back of Godspeed: a distant, remote, or unknown place.

If I don't leave you at the back of God-speed before long, I'll give you the mare and the horse too.1858, Anthony Trollope, “Frank Gresham’s First Speech”, in Doctor Thorne. […], volume I, London: Chapman & Hall, […], →OCLC, page 124:
mrs george. I have earned the right to speak. I have dared: I have gone through: I have not fallen withered into the fire: I have come at last out beyond, to the back of Godspeed. / the bishop. And what do you see there, at the back of Godspeed?1908 (date written), [George] Bernard Shaw, “Getting Married”, in The Doctor’s Dilemma, Getting Married, & The Shewing-Up of Blanco Posnet, London: Constable and Company, published 1911, →OCLC, page 278: