Meaning & use
Zounds
Last updated
An archaic exclamation of surprise or indignation.
See it in a sentence
"Zounds!" cried the old sailor, startled by the sudden crash of thunder.
Shakespeare's characters often exclaim "zounds" when caught off guard.
A note on using this word
A minced oath shortened from "God's wounds," referring to the wounds of Christ; common in Elizabethan and Jacobean drama.
Words with a similar meaning
egadsgadzooks
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