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

It’s more likely, though, that she hoped to put some distance between her and her old pair of goody two shoes.

From New York Times • Aug. 19, 2015

“A good girl, goody two shoes, Audrey Hepburn, classic, safe, feminine, soft, girlie.”

From New York Times • Aug. 21, 2014

Ah, so she’s a real goody two shoes.

From "Five Feet Apart" by Rachael Lippincott

A perk of being a goody two shoes is that Barb will probably believe me.

From "Five Feet Apart" by Rachael Lippincott