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The Learning Kingdom's Cool Word of the Day for April 28, 1999
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goody two-shoes [n. GOOD-ee TOO SHOOZ]
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A goody two-shoes is a smugly self-righteous person who makes a big
show about being good and virtuous while secretly hiding less
benevolent motivations. "That Justine is such a goody two-shoes, but
watch out when you turn your back."
Originally, a goody two-shoes was simply someone who went around
parading his or her goodness, which may have been annoying but not
necessarily hypocritical. It was not until the 1930s that the phrase
took on a negative tone.
The origin is thought to be a moralistic nursery story by Oliver
Goldsmith, originally published in 1765 or 1766 in a book of
children's stories. In "The History of Little Goody Two Shoes," Goody
was a poor girl who owned only one shoe. When she somehow obtained a
pair of shoes, she rushed around with delight, proudly exclaiming "Two
shoes. Two shoes." to everyone she met.
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