Bejabers

/bɪˈdʒæbərz/ interjection

Definition

Variant spelling of bejabbers; an Irish exclamation expressing surprise or emphasis.

Etymology

An alternative spelling of 'bejabbers', showing variation in how Irish English speakers spelled this euphemistic oath in writing across different regions and time periods.

Kelly Says

The multiple spellings of this word—bejabers, bejabbers, begob, begorrah—show how Irish immigrants' speech was filtered through English writers who tried to phonetically capture unfamiliar Irish accents.

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