Why do people say "For Pete's Sake"..?...Who is Pete?....Where did it come from?

Answer 1

That's a very good question and one that I'm sure everyone will ponder on for a while. Another good one to go with your "Pete" is Geez Louise. Who is Louise, how did she come about, and why couldn' t you just say " Geez" instead of "Geez Louise?"

Maybe Pete & Louise are in cahootz together! :o)

Answer 2

Biblical origins. Think of St Peter. Think of the omnipresent medieval church and think of hitting your thumb with a hammer. You can't swear, else the local priests will have you up before the Bishop and the Lord alone knows what the outcome of that will be, so you exclaim, in appropriate tone of voice, "For Saint Peter's sake" and carry on erecting the shelves. This phrase was amended to "For Pete's Sake" in later, less religiously oppressive, times

Answer 3

This is used to express frustration with a situation, as in “For Pete’s sake, stop fooling around!”

This phrase, and phrases like “For the love of Pete” are euphemisms for the phrases “for the love of God/Christ” or “for God’s/Christ’s sake” and probably date back to at least late 19th century America, a time when those phrases were considered blasphemous.

Pete most likely is in reference to the catholic Saint Peter.

But my favorite saying.. and everyone at work laughs at me.. "for the love of sweet pete" ha ha ha.. okay.. good luck!

Answer 4

Biblical origins. Think of St Peter. Think of the omnipresent medieval church and think of hitting your thumb with a hammer. You can't swear, else the local priests will have you up before the Bishop and the Lord alone knows what the outcome of that will be, so you exclaim, in appropriate tone of voice, "For Saint Peter's sake" and carry on erecting the shelves. This phrase was amended to "For Pete's Sake" in later, less religiously oppressive, times.

Answer 5

I think it is a non blasphemous way of saying "Christ's sake", and Pete was substituted likely because st Peter was JC's second in command.

Answer 6

Perhaps Saint Peter was shortened to pete somewhere along the line? I don't really know but it would certainly snse for it to have started out as "For The Sake Of Saint Peter"...

Answer 7

For Pete's Sake was a song by the Monkees. It was sung by Micky Dolenz even though Peter Tork wrote it.
I slept with Davy Jones' drummer once.

Answer 8

This is called a "minced oath," a substitution of a less offensive word when you're tempted to say "For God's sake!" It uses St. Peter instead, and has been shortened over time to say "Pete" instead.

Answer 9

It refers to St Peter. Some People say for Gods sake, some say for Christs sake, Peter the next one down.

Answer 10

I don't know where it comes from but my mum uses when she's frustrated about how slow I'm taking to do something

I find I say it when a driver cuts me up when its my right of way on a mini roundabout

could it have something to do with the disciples was there one called Peter so it could come from then