wounds, int. Obs. exc. arch.
(waʊndz)
Also 9 wouns; 7–8 wauns, 8 waund(s; dial. 8–9 wuns.
[pl. of wound: see wound n. 1 c.]
= God's wounds; used as an oath or asseveration.
| α 1610 Dekker Shoemaker's Holiday D 1, Wounds then farewell. 1753 Foote Englishm. Paris i. 14 But Wounds how the Powder flew about. 1801 G. Colman Poor Gentl. i. i. 4 Wouns! let me come at him. 1820 Keats Cap & Bells lxii, ‘Wounds! how they shout!’ said Hum. 1822 Scott Nigel ix, Wouns! man, we'll stuff his stomach with English land. |
| β 1694 Echard Plautus 14 Waunds! I ha'nt let fly sure. 1706 Farquhar Recruit. Officer i. i, Wauns! I wish again that my Wife lay there. 1728 Cibber & Vanbr. Provok'd Husb. iv. 65 Waund, he'll storm any thing. Ibid. 68 Waunds! you have had one hundred this Morning. 1796 T. Morton Way to get Married ii. ii. (1800) 33 Clem. Who's at the door? Serv. Wauns I forgot. It be maister Dashall fra Lunnon. |
| γ c 1746 J. Collier (Tim Bobbin) View Lanc. Dial. Reader, Wks. (1862) p. xxxiv, Wuns eigh; theawrt likt' strowll ogen. 1843 T. Wilson Pitman's Pay 57 ‘Wuns’, says aw, ‘this rough beginnin’..freightens me’. |