Godless Florin
Preserved but no longer current.
See GRACELESS FLORIN. Goddam or Godon (go dam', go don7). A name given by the French to the English at least as early as the 15th century, on account of the favourite oath of the English soldiers which was looked upon almost as a shibboleth. Joan of Arc is reported to have used the word on a number of occasions in contemptuous reference to her enemies.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Godless Florin” mean?
See GRACELESS FLORIN. Goddam or Godon (go dam', go don7). A name given by the French to the English at least as early as the 15th century, on account of the favourite oath of the English soldiers which was looked upon almost as a shibboleth. Joan of Arc is reported to have used the word on a number of occasions in contemptuous reference to her enemies.
Is “Godless Florin” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.