A plaque remaining from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem.

Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.

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Entry from November 11, 2019
“For Pete’s sake” (“For the love of Pete”)

   
“For the love of Mike” is a similar saying.
 
 
Wiktionary: for Pete’s sake
Etymology
Euphemistic variant of for Christ’s sake, for God’s sake; “Pete” perhaps invoking Saint Peter or perhaps influenced by for pity’s sake
Interjection
for Pete’s sake

1. (idiomatic, euphemistic) Used to expresses frustration, exasperation, annoyance
 
(Oxford English Dictionary)
pete, n.
With capital initial. In various exclamatory phrases (chiefly as a euphemistic replacement for god), expressing exasperation or annoyance, as for Pete’s sake, for the love of Pete, etc. (cf. love n.1 Phrases 1).
1903   E. Conradi in Pedagogical Seminary Sept. 377/1   For Pete’s sake. Fresh Christmas.
1906   S. Ford Shorty McCabe 303   Say, for the love of Pete, I couldn’t tell what it was gave me a grouch.
     
OCLC WorldCat record
For the love of Pete; a tragi-comedy of the affections for three women.
Author: Hettie Fithian Cattell
Publisher: Summit, N.J. N.L. Swartout, 1925.
Edition/Format:   Print book : English
 
OCLC WorldCat record
“For Pete’s sake, go on down and fix the furnace, then!”
Author: Bill Holman
Publisher: 1932 Feb. 27 [publication date]
Edition/Format:   Image : Graphic : Picture : English
Publication: Caroline and Erwin Swann collection of caricature & cartoon (Library of Congress)
Summary:
A cat burgler stands with his arms folded in an effort to keep warm, while his partner tries to break into a safe. A cat with a bandage tied to its tail, stands behind the first burgler. A painting on the wall over the safe, shows a man with a kerchief on his head, smoking a pipe and warming each of his feet in a bucket of hot water.
 
OCLC WorldCat record
For Pete’s sake! A farce in three acts,
Author: Jay Tobias
Publisher: Chicago, T.S. Denison & Company [©1934]
Series: Denisons̕ red letter series
Edition/Format:   Print book : English
     
OCLC WorldCat record
For the love of Pete : a three-act comedy
Author: Thomas A Erhard
Publisher: Cedar Rapids, Iowa : Art Craft Play Co., ©1954.
Edition/Format:   Print book : English
 
OCLC WorldCat record
For Pete’s sake. A family frolic [in three acts.].
Author: Leslie Sands
Publisher: London, [1957]
Series: Guild library.
Edition/Format:   Print book : English
 

Posted by Barry Popik
New York CityWorkers/People • Monday, November 11, 2019 • Permalink


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