Green’s Dictionary of Slang

marry! excl.

also mary! by the marrikins! mary ann!
[SE the Virgin Mary]

1. a mild oath.

[UK]William of Palerne 4840: ‘Marie, sire’, sede þe messageres ‘Še mowe vs wel trowe, þe milde mayde meliors in palerne now dwelles.’ [OED].
[UK]J. Heywood Pardoner and Friar Aiv: Mary what standest thou there all day clatterrynge.
[UK]G. Walker Detection of Vyle and Detestable Use of Dice Play 12: Marry, the dice-players stuck well by it.
[UK]L. Wager Life and Repentance of Marie Magdalene A4: Mary, syr, yet I conuey my matters cleane.
[UK]U. Fulwell Art of Flattery 8th dialogue 41: Mary Sir this was a very saucy and presumpteous foole.
[UK]Misogonus in Farmer (1906) III i: By th’ marrikins! will you not leave your cackling.
[UK]Long Meg of Westminster 18: He asked who struck him? Marry, quoth Meg, I did.
[UK]Lyly Mother Bombie I i: I marie, now you tickle me.
[UK]Jonson Cynthia’s Revels II i: Marry, I will come to her.
[UK]Jonson Bartholomew Fair IV iv: Marry, shit o’ your hood! [Ibid.] I v: Marry gip, goody she-Justice, Mistress French-hood! Turd i’ your teeth.
[UK]W. Cartwright Ordinary II v: Marry! a very comendable fault.
[UK]Long Meg of Westminster 3: Marry quoth shee (being a very merry and pleasant woman).
[UK]R. Brome Jovial Crew IV i: Nay, marry I dare not.
[UK]Dryden Wild Gallant IV i: Who, I with child! marry, heaven forbid!
[UK]‘A Newgate ex-prisoner’ A Warning for House-Keepers 6: Mary faugh you son of a w....
[UK]T. Betterton Match in Newgate I ii: Marry! I scorn that slaverie.
[UK]Congreve Love for Love II i: Marry, Heaven defend – I at midnight practices!
[UK]N. Ward Compleat and Humorous Account of Remarkable Clubs (1756) 76: Marry hang you, replies the Jockey.
[UK] in D’Urfey Pills to Purge Melancholy III 156: Mark how Sir Whacham fools; / Ay marry, there’s a Wit.
[UK]Swift Polite Conversation 28: Ay, marry, this is not only, but also.
[UK]Fielding Tom Jones (1959) 159: ‘Who is the man?’ — ‘Marry! [...] you may find him out yourself, if you please.’.
[UK]W. Kenrick Falstaff’s Wedding (1766) I v: Why, marry, – hang him.
[UK]O. Goldsmith Vicar of Wakefield (1883) 79: Marry, hang the idiot!
[US]J.K. Paulding Bucktails (1847) I ii: What care I for news, marry?
[Scot]W. Scott Peveril of the Peak I 132: Marry, for drink, he shall have plenty of cold water.
[UK]Hotten Sl. Dict.
[UK]Lichfield Mercury 14 Dec. 6/3: Is he going to join those lispers now? Marry, go to! Ods bodkins! I’fackins and the rest — he cannot.
[US]‘O. Henry’ ‘From Each According to his Ability’ Voice of the City (1915) 225: ‘Oh, Mary Ann!’ said they.
Washington Herald (DC) 28 Nov. 27/1: ‘My Mary Ann! Captain drinkin’ cocoa! Glory be!’.
[US]M.E. Smith Adventures of a Boomer Op. 72: Oh mary!, there was the prize gink of them all.

2. in answering a question, implying surprise that it should be asked, ‘why, to be sure!’.

[UK]R. Edwards Damon and Pithias (1571) Fii: Wine, mary, that is welcome to Colliers.
[UK]J. Cooke How A Man May Choose A Good Wife From A Bad Act III: I am, I marrie am I, that I am.
[UK]Fletcher Island Princess III i: Yes marry is she sir.
[UK]S. Marmion Fine Companion III v: Yes marry did I.
[UK]T. Shadwell Squire of Alsatia IV i: I am but a servant; how could I help it, marry?
[UK]G. Colman Yngr Iron Chest I iii: mor.: They kill’d his dog? wint.: Aye, marry, sir.
[US]J.H. Nicholson ‘Bunkum in Parvo’ Opal Fever 107: ‘I say have yez got / E’er a sup of cold tea in your jolly old pot?’ ‘Marry, that we have.’.