bejeezus
Wits, in expressions
Bejeezus is a mild oath, a euphemistic corruption of "by Jesus" used to express surprise or emphasis.
It appears almost exclusively in set phrases: scared the bejeezus out of me, beat the bejeezus out of him.
The bejeezus functions as an intensifying stand-in for something vital or essential that can be frightened, beaten, or knocked out of a person.
Moral excellence
- gollyGentle exclamation of surprise
- goshTame exclamation of surprise
- geeMild exclamation of surprise
- crikeyMild surprise interjection
blimey · yikes · jeepers · heavens · lordy · egads · zounds · gracious
Feeling fear or alarm
- terrifiedExtremely frightened
- frightenedExperiencing sudden fear
- spookedFrightened into alertness
- startledAbruptly surprised or alarmed
shaken · rattled · unnerved · petrified · panic · dread · horror · creeps
Struck many times
- wallopedStruck very hard
- thrashedDefeated decisively
- clobberedStruck or defeated decisively
- whackedStruck forcefully
battered · pounded · slugged · smacked · belted · knocked · thumped · drubbed
Mildly vexed
- irritatedSlightly angered or bothered
- frustratedAnnoyed by obstacles
- exasperatedIntensely irritated, patience gone
- aggravatedIntensified or vexed
bothered · pestered · nagged · harassed · maddened · irked · vexed · riled
goodness
Moral excellence
crikey · blimey · yikes · jeepers · heavens · lordy · egads · zounds · gracious · mercy
scared
Feeling fear or alarm
- terrifiedExtremely frightened
- frightenedExperiencing sudden fear
- spookedFrightened into alertness
startled · shaken · rattled · unnerved · petrified · panic · dread · horror · creeps · willies
pummeled
Struck many times
whacked · battered · pounded · slugged · smacked · belted · knocked · thumped · drubbed · trounced
annoyed
Mildly vexed
- irritatedSlightly angered or bothered
- frustratedAnnoyed by obstacles
- exasperatedIntensely irritated, patience gone
aggravated · bothered · pestered · nagged · harassed · maddened · irked · vexed · riled · bugged