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The origin is "By God's wounds" meaning Christ's stigmata (wounds from being crucified), shortened to "His wounds" and shortened still to 's wounds, shortened again to zounds. It's an exclamation; today you might say "Gadzooks" or "Jesus Christ!" or "Holy smokes." Or if you were saying it more straightforwardly, it might mean also "I swear" as in "believe me" as in "I swear on this bible" or "I swear on my mothers grave" or "I swear on God's wounds" or something similarly sacred. Now don't ask me where "Gadzooks" comes from. (Actually, it's from "God's hooks", the nails which fastened Jesus to the cross)

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14y ago

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