A sight for the gods, phr. (common).—A matter of wonderment.
1892. Hume Nisbet, Bushranger’s Sweetheart, p. 31. Stringy Bark prepared to greet his native land, was a sight for the gods to behold with satisfaction, and men to view from afar with awed respect. [[170]]
God Pays! phr. (old).—An expression at one time much in the mouth of disbanded soldiers and sailors (who assumed a right to live on the public charity). The modern form is, ‘If I don’t pay you, God Almighty will.’
1605. London Prodigal, ii., 3. But there be some that bear a soldier’s form, That swear by him they never think upon; Go swaggering up and down, from house to house, Crying, God pays.
1630. Taylor, in wks. These feather’d fidlers sing, and leape, and play, The begger takes delight, and God doth pay.
1640. Ben Jonson, Epigr. XII. To every cause he meets, this voice he brays, His only answer is to all, God pays.
God (or Bramah) Knows: I don’t, phr. (common).—An emphatic rejoinder.
1598. Florio, A Worlde of Wordes. Come Iddio vel dica., a phrase, as wee would say: God himselfe tell you, I cannot.
Goddess Diana, subs. phr. (rhyming). A sixpence. For synonyms, see Tanner.
1864. The Press, 12 Nov. Goddess diana is the rhyming equivalent for a tanner which signifies sixpence.