for Pete's sake

for Pete's sake

A mild oath of exasperation, annoyance, frustration, anger, or surprise. Would you let me finish my story, for Pete's sake? Oh for Pete's sake, I just had the car fixed and now you've put a dent in it! For Pete's sake! I haven't seen you in years!

See also: for, sake

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

For Pete's sake!

 and For pity's sake!; For the love of Mike!; For goodness sake!; For gosh sake!; For heaven('s) sake!

a mild exclamation of surprise or shock. For Pete's sake! How've ya been? For pity's sake! Ask the man in out of the cold!

See also: for

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

for Pete's sake

Also, for pity's sake. See for the sake of, def. 3.

See also: for, sake

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

for ˌPete’s ˈsake

(British English) used to emphasize that it is important to do something, or when you are annoyed or impatient about something: For Pete’s sake, what are you doing in that bathroom? You’ve been in there for nearly an hour.

See also: for, sake

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

For Pete’s sake!

and For pity’s sake! and For the love of Mike!

exclam. Good grief! For Pete’s sake! Is that you Charlie? For pity’s sake! Ask the man in out of the cold!

See also: for

McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

for heaven's/Pete's/pity's sake

An expression of surprise, emphasis, exasperation, outrage, and so forth. These all are euphemisms for “for God’s sake,” which in some circles is considered blasphemous. “For heaven’s sake” dates at least from the nineteenth century. “For Pete’s sake” appeared in Dialect Notes in 1924. “For pity’s sake” dates from the sixteenth century; Michael Drayton used it in one of his Idea sonnets of 1593: “Rebate thy spleen, if but for pities sake!” See also for the love of Mike/Pete/God.

See also: for, sake

The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer