bejesus

American  

[bih-jee-zuhs, -jey-] / bɪˈdʒi zəs, -ˈdʒeɪ- /

interjection

1. (used as a mild oath expressing dismay, anger, or the like.)

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noun

1. Informal. dickens; devil; deuce.

   The conglomerate plans to take that tiny company and expand the bejesus out of it.

bejesus British  

/ bɪˈdʒeɪzəz /

interjection

1. an exclamation of surprise, emphasis, etc, regarded as a characteristic utterance of Irish people

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noun

1. (intensifier) used in such phrases as beat the bejesus out of , scare the bejesus out of , etc

Etymology

Origin of bejesus

First recorded in 1905–10; alteration of oath by Jesus

Example Sentences

Mills got up there Sunday and discovered an unwelcome climate situation — “I wish they would cut that air off,” she said, “it’s blowing so cold on me” — but went ahead and sang the bejesus out of “Home,” from “The Wiz.”

From Los Angeles Times

The Redondo Beach Pier, first built in 1888 as a lumber wharf, burned spectacularly in 1988, perhaps from an electrical short from damage by two immense storms that had just beaten the bejesus out of the place.

From Los Angeles Times

Mr. Skal was an author with encyclopedic knowledge of a subject not always taken seriously — movies meant to scare the bejesus out of people — whose erudition, combined with a chatty writing style, made his books lively and entertaining.

From New York Times

Rhonda J. Soikowski directs and Ayako Okano provides music for this trio as they tackle more than 50 characters in this story about ghosts who haunt the bejesus out of a greedy business owner.

From Seattle Times

Another trick to scare the bejesus out of Barry and Jay.

From Literature