Zounds
/zaʊndz/noun
An archaic exclamation of surprise or emphasis.
Did you know?Zounds is a softened form of the oath "God’s wounds," a euphemistic minced oath that let speakers swear by Christ’s wounds without saying the full sacred phrase.
Etymological Timeline
16th Century
English
God's wounds
“A blunt oath invoking the wounds of Christ.”
16th-17th Century
English
zounds
“A euphemized oath, literally a clipped and disguised form of the religious exclamation.”
17th-18th Century
English
zounds!
“A common forceful exclamation in speech and drama, especially in comic or emphatic contexts.”
Modern English
English
zounds
“An archaic exclamation used for surprise, annoyance, or emphasis.”