Godspeed n : a successful journey; "they wished him Godspeed"

English

Alternative spellings

• God-speed
• God speed

Etymology

From Middle English, from "God speed you." (May God help you prosper.)

Pronunciation

/gɒdˈspi:d/

Interjection

1. An expression of respect and good will when addressing someone, typically someone about to go on a journey or a daring endeavor.
2. A Christian substitute to the otherwise sacrilegious "good luck", which implies that anything can be random and out of the hands of God. Used to express concern and prayer for someone.

   Evangelist, after he had kissed him, gave him one smile, and bid him God-speed. (John Bunyan, Pilgrim's Progress)

   "I'm wishing you God-speed, Hattersley," cried Arthur, "and aiding you with my prayers." (Anne Brontë, Tenant of Wildfell Hall)

   Rowland at the garden gate was giving his hostess Godspeed on her way to church. (Henry James, Roderick Hudson)

   Eight years before he had seen his friend off at the North Wall and wished him God-speed. (James Joyce, Dubliners)

Related terms

• farewell
• God bless you
• God forbid
• goddamn

Godspeed, as a word, is a wish for a prosperous journey, success, and good fortune. For example, it was said by Scott Carpenter to John Glenn before Glenn's first trip to space in Friendship 7, and is now traditionally said prior to launch to all U.S. spaceflight crews. In different contexts it may refer to:

• Godspeed (ship), a ship that was captained by Bartholomew Gosnold.
• Goodspeed, as an alternate or older version of the surname.
• Godspeed (comic), a comic story about Kurt Cobain.
• Godspeed (company), an Austin-based telecommunications company.
• Godspeed (company), a Finnish network for Christian extreme sports community.
• Godspeed, a fictional play in the Marx Brothers' Room Service.
• Godspeed, a short film by Lynn Breedlove and Jen Gilomen.
• Godspeed, a Chinese manufacturer of photography equipment container and bags.

Novels:

• Godspeed (novel), a science fiction novel by Charles Sheffield.
• Godspeed (Baer novel), a novel by Will Christopher Baer.
• Godspeed, a novel by Lynn Breedlove.

In music:

• Bands:
  • Godspeed, a band featuring 1970's teen idol Leif Garrett.
  • Godspeed (band), an American heavy metal band.
  • Godspeed (Christian band), an American hard rock Christian Band.
  • Godspeed You! Black Emperor, a Canadian post-rock band.
• Songs and pieces:
  • Godspeed (Sweet Dreams) a song by the country music trio The Dixie Chicks. It is featured on their album Home
  • Godspeed, featured in a 1999 BT album the Movement in Still Life.
  • Godspeed, a piece of music written for Symphonic Band by Stephen Melillo.
  • Godspeed EP, a song and EP by the alternative rock group Anberlin, from Orlando, Florida
  • Godspeed, a song by Masami Okui, also the name of her 2006 album.
  • Godspeed (Sweet Dreams), a song by Radney Foster, often covered by the Dixie Chicks.
  • Godspeed, a song by Brian Wayne Transeau an electronic musician, better known by his stage name, BT.
  • Godspeed Into The Future, a song by Saybia (on the Eyes on the Highway-album.)
  • Godspeed, a song by zZz
  • God Speed, a song by Patti Smith from her 1978 album Easter.
  • Godspeed, a song by Ozark Henry
• An album:
  • Godspeed (album), an album by German power/heavy metal band Symphorce.
  • God Speed (Masami Okui album), a 2006 J-pop album