Meaning
An exclamation of surprise, disbelief or exasperation. A mild, non-obscene exclamation. Capitalise it because it retains the form of a personal name. Regional use: British English.
Origin
The British exclamation is documented in a 1937 novel and was probably already spoken. It is plausibly associated with the famously extravagant newspaper proprietor James Gordon Bennett Jr., whose name was well known in Europe, while also echoing mild oaths beginning with 'God' or 'Gor'. The exact route cannot be proved.
Research Sources
References used to check this entry’s meaning, history, or documented forms.
Usage Examples
- Gordon Bennett, that suitcase weighs more than the passenger.
- Gordon Bennett! Did they really approve the plan without reading it?