zounds
Americaninterjection
interjection
Etymology
Origin of zounds
First recorded in 1590–1600; variant of 'swounds
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But any potential eeriness was quickly overwhelmed by the mob of cheerful Appletonians, sipping wine, munching on cheese and -- zounds -- even joking.
From Time Magazine Archive
Why, zounds," cries Western, "who could have thought it?
From History of Tom Jones, a Foundling by Fielding, Henry
Such new-fangled words as "eftsoon," "albeit," "wench," "soothly," "zounds," "whenas," and "sithence" had stolen into common usage, making more direct and simpler speech a jest and a byword.
From The Holy Cross and Other Tales by Field, Eugene
But zounds, man!" he exclaimed, like one exasperated with perplexity, "what maggot's in your brains?
From Lawrence Clavering by Mason, A. E. W. (Alfred Edward Woodley)
Who that utters the word "zounds," imagines that he is speaking of such awful and inconceivable things as "God's wounds," though literally he is doing so?
From The International Monthly, Volume 3, No. 1, April, 1851 by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
