a goody two-shoes

goody two-shoes

1. adjective (used as a modifier before a noun) Of or having prudish, self-righteous, or rigidly moral standards. Many have been critical of the agency as being nothing but a goody two-shoes organization more concerned with telling people how to behave than serving their best interests.
2. An exceedingly or haughtily prudish, self-righteous, or rigidly moral person; someone who conforms inflexibly to the rules or the law. Mary is such a goody two-shoes, always squealing to the teacher when one of us does something against the rules. Our gang would have control of half the city if that goody two-shoes hadn't somehow gotten himself elected governor.
See also: goody
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

a goody two-shoes

INFORMAL
A goody two-shoes is someone who tries to please someone in authority or who never does anything wrong. No child wants to be a goody two-shoes, and this is one way for them to demonstrate that they're not. Note: This expression is used to show disapproval.
See also: goody
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
See also:
  • goody two-shoes
  • goody-two-shoes
  • let he that is without sin cast the first stone
  • let he who is without sin cast the first stone
  • let him that is without sin cast the first stone
  • let him who is without sin cast the first stone
  • grammar Nazi
  • goody
  • goody gumdrops
  • bulletproof
References in periodicals archive
But The Who's Roger Daltrey has just unmasked himself as something of a goody two-shoes.
"I was absolutely a goody two-shoes. I didn't get into any trouble.
But rather than being a lager-swilling Liam Gallagher lout, or a flamboyant Lady GaGa from Glasgow, Jim turned out to be, well, a bit of a goody two-shoes - lovely, and very interesting - but short on tales of rock'n'roll excess.
Spicing up her image in the latest edition of Elle magazine, she said people's biggest misconception about her is "that I'm a goody two-shoes. I'm not.
"I'm not saying I'm a goody two-shoes because I'm not.
EMMA Watson really is as much of a goody two-shoes as Hermione, her Harry Potter character.