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• goody two shoes
  goody two shoes

  noun

  a goody-goody.
• goody two-shoes
  goody two-shoes

  A prudish, self-righteous individual, a goody-goody. For example, Phyllis was a real goody two-shoes, tattling on her friends to the teacher. This expression alludes to the main character of a nursery tale, The History of Goody Two-Shoes (1765), who was so pleased when receiving a second shoe that she kept saying “Two shoes.” The goody in the story is short for goodwife but means “goody-goody” in the idiom.

goody two shoes

American  

noun

(sometimes initial capital letters)

plural

goody two shoes

1. a goody-goody.

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goody two-shoes Idioms  

1. A prudish, self-righteous individual, a goody-goody. For example, Phyllis was a real goody two-shoes, tattling on her friends to the teacher. This expression alludes to the main character of a nursery tale, The History of Goody Two-Shoes (1765), who was so pleased when receiving a second shoe that she kept saying “Two shoes.” The goody in the story is short for goodwife but means “goody-goody” in the idiom.

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Etymology

Origin of goody two shoes

After the title character of The History of Little Goody Two-Shoes (1765), a nursery tale perhaps written by Oliver Goldsmith

Example Sentences

"Well, I know this because people were like, 'I saw you!' I was such a goody two-shoes and people kept going, 'I saw you out. I made eye contact with you.' I was like, 'No!'"

From Fox News • Dec. 22, 2020

I'm a Gen Xer, I'm on the younger side of Generation X. We definitely think the Millennials are like the goody two-shoes, good kids.

From Salon • Aug. 25, 2020

But, at school, they are considered insufferable goody two-shoes.

From The New Yorker • May 20, 2019

This makes her sound horribly over-accomplished but McEwan says he did not want her to be "a goody two-shoes".

From The Guardian • Aug. 31, 2014

I know one thing people say about me is that I’m a goody two-shoes.

From "Auggie & Me" by R. J. Palacio