zounds
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: 'zounds
Etymology
Minced form of God's wounds, with reference to the wounds from Christ's crucifixion. Compare strewth, blimey, gadzooks, 'sblood, crikey.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /zuːndz/, /zaʊndz/
Audio (Southern England): (file) Audio (Southern England): (file) - Rhymes: -uːndz, -aʊndz
Interjection
zounds
- (chiefly dated, minced oath) Expressing anger, surprise, assertion etc.
- c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
- 'Zounds, a dog, a rat, a mouse, a cat, to scratch a man to death!
- 1870, R.M. Ballantyne, The Floating Light of the Goodwin Sands:
- Bounds, mounds, lounds, founds, kounds, downds, rounds, pounds, zounds! — hounds — ha! hounds — I have it.
- 1900, J.C. Hutcheson, Bob Strong's Holidays:
- "Zounds!" he exclaimed. "What the dickens is that?"
Alternative forms
Synonyms
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