good-bye
(ˌgʊdˈbaɪ)
Forms: 6 god be wy you, god b'uy, god boye (yee, 6–7 god buy', buy, godbwye, god bu'y(e, 7 god b'(o)y you, god buy (or buy') you (or ye), -buoy(e, -b'wy, -b'w'y(e, -b'w', -b'y(e, good-buy, -b'wy, 8 good b'w'ye, -b'w'y', bwi't'ye, 8– goodby(e.
[A contraction of the phrase God be with you (or ye); see god n. 8. The substitution of good- for God may have been due to association with such formulas of leave-taking as good day, good night, etc.
It has been suggested that the phrase may have originated in God buy you = ‘God redeem you’, and that association with God be with you is of later date. This is not supported by the earliest forms, which as a rule show that the expression was known to be a clipped one.]
1. As an exclamation: A form of address at parting; farewell. Also in to bid, say good bye (to).
| 1573–80 [see 2]. 1588 Shakes. L.L.L. iii. i. 151, I thanke your worship, God be wy you. 1591 ― 1 Hen. VI, iii. ii. 73 God b'uy my Lord. 1600 Heywood 2 Edw. IV, Wks. (1874) I. 141 Gallants, God buoye all. 1602 Shakes. Ham. ii. ii. 575, I so, God buy' ye [1604 Qo. 2 God buy to you]. 1607 Middleton & Dekker Roaring Girl D j b, Farewell. God b'y you Mistresse Gallipot. a 1652 Brome City Wit i. ii. Wks. 1873 I. 289 Heartily Godbuy, good Mr. Crasy. a 1659 Cleveland Lond. Lady 54 But mum for that, his strength will scarce supply His Back to the Balcona, so God b' wy. [1668 Pepys Diary 6 Aug., To Mr. Wren, to bid him ‘God be with you!’] 1694 Acc. Sev. Late Voy. ii. 152 He flings up his tail..and so bids us good-b'wy. 1707 E. Ward Hud. Rediv. II. ii. 6 So to a Feast should I invite ye You'd stuff your Guts, and cry, Good bwi't'ye. 1719 D'Urfey Pills III. 135 Good B' w' 'y! with all my Heart. 1811 W. R. Spencer Poems 141 When How-d'y-do has failed to move, Good-bye reveals the passion! 1818 Byron Juan i. ccxxi, And so your humble servant, and good-b'ye! 1860 Tyndall Glac. i. xviii. 122 We then bade Ulrich good-bye, and went forward. 1874 F. C. Burnand My time x. 87 Then he said good-bye to me..and so left me. |
b. abbreviated;
cf. bye-bye.
| a 1643 W. Cartwright Ordinary iv. v, B'w'y' Brother. ― Siege ii. iv, B'w'y' Lady of the Fan. 1687 Congreve Old Bach. v. viii, B'w'y George! 1748 Smollett Rod. Rand. iii, B'wye, old gentleman, you're bound for the other world. 1768–74 Tucker Lt. Nat. (1852) I. 461 Taking an amorous leave with ‘By'e, sweet Socrates’, and ‘By'e, little Searchy’. |
2. n. A saying ‘good-bye’; a parting greeting.
| 1573–80 G. Harvey Letter-bk. (Camden) 90 To requite your gallonde of godbwyes, I regive you a pottle of how-dyes. 1634 J. Taylor (Water P.) Gt. Eater Kent 16 His courtesie is manifest; for he had rather haue one farewell then 20 Godbwyes. 1853 ‘C. Bede’ Verdant Green iii. (ed. 4) 19 The good-byes and write-oftens that usually accompany a departure. 1879 Edna Lyall Won by Waiting xxiv, He hurried through his good-byes in the drawing-room. |
| attrib. 1854 B. Taylor Lands of Saracen xxii. 288 The old Turcoman..made a sullen good-by salutation, and left us. 1870 T. W. Higginson Army Life 193 Her father would seize Annie for a good-bye kiss. |
Hence
goodˈbyer, one who says ‘good-bye’;
goodˈbying vbl. n., saying ‘good-bye’.
| 1811 W. R. Spencer Poems 143 Since time, there's no denying, One half in How-d'y-doing goes, And t'other in Good-byeing! 1839 P. Hawker Diary (1893) II. 165 Baited with bills, packing, and ‘good-bye-ers’ till twelve at night. 1898 T. Hardy Wessex Poems 92 Twas time to be Good-bying Since the assembly-hour was nighing. |