Gad, n.5 Now rare exc. arch.
(gæd)
[Minced pronunciation of god. Cf. agad, egad.]
1. Substituted for God, in various phrases, chiefly asseverative or exclamatory; esp. in by Gad!
| 1611 Beaum. & Fl. Knt. Burn. Pestle Induct., By gad, if any of them all blow wind in the tail on him, I'll be hanged. 1663 Dryden Wild Gallant i. i, He's a bold fellow, I vow to gad. 1741 Richardson Pamela II. 230 A Challenge, A Challenge, by Gad! 1771 Foote Maid of B. iii. Wks. 1799 II. 237 Mercy a Gad! 1777 Sheridan Trip to Scarborough v. ii, Gad take me, but they are all in a story! 1840 Thackeray Bedford-Row Conspir. ii, By gad, sir..I never will give you a shilling. 1875 W. S. Hayward Love agst. World 44 If either of the young dogs wants to quarrel, by gad, sir, he shall quarrel with me. |
b. Elliptically
= ‘God give’. (
Cf. ‘God ye good den,’
Shakes. Rom. & Jul. ii. iv. 116.) quasi-
arch.| 1849 James Woodman xv, Gad ye good night, lords and ladies. |
c. Gads me,
Gads my life: ? God save me, my life.
| 1632 Massinger & Field Fatal Dowry iii. i, Gads me! he's angry. 1694 Congreve Double Dealer ii. iv, Gad's my life, the man's distracted! 1764 Foote Mayor of G. i. Wks. 1799 I. 174 Gad's my life, sure as a gun that's her voice. |
2. quasi-int. perhaps by omission of ‘by’.
| 1608 R. Armin Nest Ninn. (1842) 5 And, gad, she will. 1679 Dryden Tr. & Cr. iii. i, Gad, that's exceeding foolish. 1831 Lytton Godolphin 12 Gad, if I were some years younger, I would join them myself. 1881 Besant & Rice Chapl. of Fleet I. 41 Gad! there will be a pretty storm with my lady when she hears it. |
3. In various phraseological combinations, as
Gadsbobs,
Gadsbodikins,
Gadsbud,
Gadsbudlikins,
Gadslid,
Gadsniggers,
Gadsnigs,
Gadsnouns,
Gadsokers,
Gadsookers,
Gadsprecious,
Gadswookers,
Gadswoons,
Gadzookers,
Gadzooks, for the explanation of which see the corresponding forms under
god 14.
| 1695 Congreve Love for L. iv. vi, *Gads bobs, does he not know me? |
| 1676 Wycherley Pl. Dealer iii. i, *Gads⁓bodikins, you puny upstart in the law, to use me so! 1696 Southerne Oroonoko i. ii, If my husband were alive, Gads⁓bodykins, you wou'd not use me so. |
| 1694 Congreve Double Dealer i. iii, *Gadsbud, much better as it is. 1792 Wolcott (P. Pindar) To a Fly Wks. 1812 III. 167 Gadsbud..thou are not dead. |
| 1698 Vanbrugh æsop ii. Wks. (Rtldg.) 374/2 Your friend was a witty person, *gadsbudlikins! |
| 1598 B. Jonson Ev. Man in Hum. i. i, And by *gads-lid I scorn it. 1657 Lust's Domin. iv. v. in Hazl. Dodsley XIV. 164 By Gad's-lid, if I run not After them like a tiger, hough me. |
| 1715 tr. C'tess D'Aunoy's Wks. 438 By *Gads-niggers I will have this Pasty. |
| 1651 Randolph, etc. Hey for Honesty iii. i, Her will tug out her sword, and, *gads nigs! let her take very many heed, her will carbonado very much legs and arms. |
| 1676 Wycherley Pl. Dealer iii. i, *Gads⁓nouns! I love thee more and more. |
| 1687 Montague & Prior Hind & P. Transv. 6 *Gadsokers! Mr. Johnson, does your Friend think I mean nothing but a Mouse, by all this? 1672 Villiers (Dk. Buckhm.) Rehearsal ii. v. (Arb.) 65 Ah, gadsookers, I have broke my Nose. 1708 Trip to Dunkirk in Harl. Misc. I. 210 The French, as they say..Are coming, gadsookers! to pay us a visit. |
| 1676 Wycherley Pl. Dealer iii. i, *Gads-precious! you hectoring person, you, are you wild? |
| 1698 Vanbrugh æsop ii. Wks. (Rtldg.) 373/2 *Gadswookers! do people use to ask for folks when they have nothing to say to 'em? |
| 1826 Scott Woodst. x, *Gadswoons, I would have a peep. |
| 1694 Echard Plautus 197 Tra. You Dog, there's no such Fish. Gripus. *Gad⁓zooks, but there is tho'. 1751 Smollett Per. Pic. (1779) II. xxxvii. 25 ‘Gadszooks!’ said he, ‘what business had you with that?’ 1838 Dickens Nich. Nick. xxiv, Gadzooks, who can help seeing the way to do it? |