zounds, int. Now rare or Obs. In later use a literary archaism.
(zaʊndz)
Forms: 6 zownes, 7 zoones, 'zons, zons, zonnes (?), dzowns, zownds, zwounds, zauns, 7–8 'zoons, 7–9 zoons, 8 'dswounds, 7– zounds. (Cf. zines.)
A euphemistic abbreviation of by God's wounds (1535, 1573, s.v. god n. 14 a) used in oaths and asseverations.
| 1600 Rowlands Lett. Humours Blood Sat. v. 72 If any fall together by the eares, To field cries he; why? zownes (to field) he sweares. 1605 R. Armin Foole vpon F. E 3 b, One comes sweating, zoones (Cobler) the boots. 1607 Dekker Hist. Sir T. Wyatt Wks. 1873 III. 119 Zwounds I was talking with a crue of vagabondes. 1614 J. Cooke Greene's Tu Quoque C 2, Spend. M. Rash! zownds how does he know I am here? 1616 Marlowe's Faustus 1158 Zounds hee'l raise vp a Kennell of Diuels. Ibid. 1300 'Zons, hornes againe. 1623 Shaks. John ii. ii. 466 Zounds, I was neuer so bethumpt with words. 1682 Tories' Conf. in Roxb. Ball. (1882) IV. 269 Dzowns, we'l have none but honest Souls. 1699 Farquhar Love & Bottle ii. ii, Zoons is only us'd by the disbanded Officers and Bullies: but Zauns is the Beaux pronuncation [sic]. 1712 Arbuthnot John Bull ii. ix, 'Dswounds! why dost thou not lay out thy money to purchase a place at court? 1739 Joe Miller's Jests 3 Zoons, Sir, said an old Campaigner..who's that? 1812 Combe Picturesque x, Syntax look'd wild—the man said ‘Zounds! You know you betted twenty pounds.’ 1821 Sporting Mag. (N.S.) VII. 180 Zoons! said we, deranging the economy of our grey hairs. 1847 Lytton Lucretia i. i, Zounds, Charles, I love you, and that's the truth. 1883 Fortn. Rev. July 111 Forgiven me! Zounds! I must correct him in that. |
Hence † zounds v. intr. (obs. nonce-wd.), to exclaim ‘zounds’.
| 1680 Dryden Kind Keeper iv. i. 39 When he loses upon the Square, he comes home Zoundzing and Blooding. |