“Goody two-shoes” originated from a children’s book in 1765 about a poor girl who becomes virtuous and is rewarded. The term was used to describe virtuous people, but also had negative connotations of being irritating. Today, it is associated with insincerity and pretending to be good. “Goody goody” is a similar offshoot. The meaning of idioms can change over time.
A good twos is someone who is seen as cloying virtuous, self-righteous, or prude. You may also hear a two-shoe goody referred to as a “goody goody,” a slang term with origins related to that of “two-shoe goody.” This particular English idiom has quite a long history, with a number of twists and turns.
The term comes from a children’s book, The Story of Little Goody Two-Shoes published anonymously in 1765. The book, which was very popular at the time, is about a poor boy who goes around wearing one shoe. A gentleman gives her a new pair of shoes and she runs around the community saying “two shoes, two shoes!” When the little girl grows up, she becomes a teacher and eventually she marries a rich man. The implication of the story was that although she had suffered as a child, she was virtuous, so she was ultimately rewarded. “Goody,” incidentally, is short for “Goodwife,” a common term of polite address for lower-class women at the time.
Almost immediately, English speakers began using the phrase to describe particularly virtuous people, particularly young children, although the term could be used to describe someone of any age. However, the term also had a thin edge; the girl in the story seems a bit silly and silly, so the slang term was also meant to suggest that someone was irritating, cloying or lackluster, as well as virtuous.
Over time, the meaning of the phrase has become even more distorted. In modern usage, people usually use the term to refer to someone who is seen as insincere. To be called by this name means to be accused, essentially, of pretending, and the term is associated with people who pretend to be virtuous or good in order to get something. Thus, a child who tries to be friendly to the teacher in class to receive praise might be called a two-shoe good kid on the playground.
This idiom has also spawned an offshoot, “goody goody,” which means pretty much the same thing as “goody two-shoes.” Switching from a positive to a negative connotation is actually not that unusual in the world of English idioms. When social values change and people forget the origins of idioms, their meanings can be reversed from the original.
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