good ‧ ness S2 /ˈɡʊdnəs, ˈɡʊdnɪs/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ good , ↑ goodie , ↑ goody , ↑ goodness , ↑ goods ; adjective : ↑ good , ↑ goodish ; adverb : ↑ good ]
1 . my goodness!/goodness (gracious) me! spoken said when you are surprised or sometimes angry:
My goodness, you have spent a lot!
2 . for goodness’ sake spoken said when you are annoyed or surprised, especially when telling someone to do something:
For goodness’ sake stop arguing!
3 . goodness (only) knows spoken used to emphasize that you are not sure about something, or to make a statement stronger:
That bar’s been closed for goodness knows how long.
Goodness knows, I tried to help him!
4 . BEING GOOD the quality of being good:
the desire to see goodness and justice in the world
5 . BEST PART the part of food which is good for your health:
All the goodness of an egg is in the yolk.
6 . have the goodness to do something old-fashioned formal used when asking someone to do something in an extremely polite way:
Please have the goodness to wait.
7 . out of the goodness of sb’s heart used when someone has done something in order to be kind or helpful to other people:
He did it out of the goodness of his heart.