zounds

See also: 'zounds

English

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):

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• Rhymes: -uːndz, -aʊndz

Interjection

zounds

1. (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

• 'zounds

Synonyms

• gadswoons
• 'swounds
• 'dswounds
• zooterkins