Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a mild excl., lit. ‘in faith’.

1600		T. Heywood Edward IV (1874) I 440: No; by my feckins, but the better.
c.1610		Shakespeare Winter’s Tale I ii: I’fecks? Why that’s my bawcock. What! hast smutch’d thy nose?
c.1637		R. Brome Damoiselle II i: Shalt not i’fecks la, shalt not.
a.1640		R. Brome New Academy II ii: And catch’t ifac, la, he, he, he.
1673		Wycherley Gentleman Dancing-Master II i: caution: Y facks; but you shan’t, I’l ask him, and ask you no favour that I will. don diego: Y fackins; but you shan’t ask him, if you go there to look you, you Prattle-box you, I’le ask him.
1675		Woman Turn’d Bully IV iii: Yfeck ’tis fine riding.
1686		Behn Lucky Chance III vi: But, fags, you are naught to think of a young fellow, ads bobs, you are now. [Ibid.] V ii: I’ll undress it, effags I will, roguey.
1693		Congreve Old Bachelor IV i: dear Cocky – I’feck you’ll break my heart – I’feck you will.
1694		D’Urfey Comical Hist. of Don Quixote Pt 2 IV iii: Leave off that course, that Clownish word ifackins, and if you would swear [...] you must say by my Soul.
1700		M. Pix Beau Defeated IV ii: Ay fackins, had Master and I been at e’re Gentleman’s house [...] by this time we had been half Seas-over, Udsnigs.
1700		in Wit’s Cabinet 120: Why Feckins I know not how they do.
1713		J. Gay Wife of Bath I i: A most delicate Table – and a Brace, i’facking.
1741		‘Conny Keyber’ An Apology for the Life of Mrs. Shamela Andrews 48: We make a charming Fool of him, i’fackins.
1742		Fielding Joseph Andrews (1954) II 173: ‘Ifacks, a good story,’ cries Mrs Trulliber.
1749		Fielding Tom Jones (1959) 139: I suppose he hath left me mourning; but, i’fackins! if that be all, the devil shall wear it for him.
1753		Scots Mag. 1 Oct. 19/2: I had before made some progress in learning to swear: I had proceeded by Fegs, [...] ’pon my life, Rat it, and Zookers [...] to Demme.
1768		A. Ross Helenore in Wattie Scot. Works (1938) 5: Ye shak your head; but o’ my fegs, / Ye’ve set auld Scota on her legs.
1771		Smollett Humphrey Clinker (1925) I 91: Hey for London, girl! – Fecks! we have been long enough here. [Ibid.] 142: But i’fackins, Mr. Clinker wa’n’t long in his debt – with a good oaken sapling he dusted his doublet, for all his golden cheese toaster.
1775		K. O’Hara Two Misers I i: No child’s play to get make a breach here; must get help, i’fecks!
1777		Garrick Country Girl III ii: I’fackins, but we won’t.
1785		‘Peter Pindar’ ‘The Lousiad’ Works (1794) I 275: ’Tis someting, fags! to triumph ’pon poor fly.
1786		Young Coalman’s Courtship 3: How old am I, mither, do you think I could man a hissey yet? Fegs am a mind to try.
1788		Morris et al. ‘Knowing Joe’ Festival of Anacreon (1810) 51: Feggs! I was so sheamfac’d.
1801		Sporting Mag. Jan. XVII 203/2: When the Lord mayor and the Shrieves, i’fecks! / Wear chains themselves.
1802		G. Colman Yngr Poor Gentleman I i: I don’t think so, fegs! – Stay!
1808		G. Colman Yngr Blue Devils 8: demisou: In love with one another! james: Ifackins, but we be.
1815		‘Knowing Joe’ in Vocal Mag. 1 Feb. 69: Feggs! I was so shamefac’d, I flopp’d on the floor .
1815		T. Whittell ‘Johnny Brecking’s Wedding’ Poetical Works 133: But now he had won the day, ay faikins, / And gotten the victory.
1819		Beppo in London xcviii: And, fegs!
1821		W. Combe Doctor Syntax, Wife (1868) 241/2: My worthy Parson, is it you? / The same i’fackins, I’ve in view.
1825		‘A Sly Peep At Lunnun’ Universal Songster I 18: Some lawyers, too, wear ’em, and look just, ifags!
1827		J.J. Stafford Love’s Frailties I i: Now, i’fackins! they must be wrong, for I never was so happy in all my life.
1827		Southern Reporter (Cork) 14 Apr. 4/1: ’fegs I’m land-lock’d for a rhyme.
1830		Lytton Paul Clifford I 70: Ifeaks, Master Pride-in-duds! seek your fortune yourself, will you?
1830		R. Cruikshank Steamers v. Stages xxiii: They’d no idea of such a crowd i’fecks!
1832		Western Times 28 Apr. 4/6: I cut off, ifeggs! an enemy’s legs — I did, below the knees.
1833		H. Smith Gale Middleton 1 25: Fegs! if a chap had nothing else to digest he’d soon be a walking atomy.
1834		‘Her Ladyship’s Daisey’ in Flash Chaunter 32: Where pathways do abound in styles / These are the naughty things ’efegs, / That often do display the ladies legs.
1838		T. Haliburton Clockmaker II 171: I went to the woods to drive the flock home [...] and, fegs! I lost my way.
1838		Comic Almanack Feb. 125: For where’s the harm, ifegs!
1840		‘Christopher Snub’ in New Monthly Mag. (Sept.–Dec.) 182: Spite, i’fackins!
1841		‘The Queen & The Countryman’ in Gentleman’s Spicey Songster 25: ‘Ecod,’ said he, ‘I’ve done the trick, / It’s her as sure as eggs is eggs; / I see with half an eye its Vic, / I am a lucky chap ’efegs!’.
1841		‘Steam Pills’ Dublin Comic Songster 137: When the pills took effect – and he grew so, i’fegs / That he knocked down the front of the house with his legs.
1843		T. Haliburton Sam Slick in England I 79: ‘Fegs!’ sais Pat, ‘this gun was made for a squint eye.’.
1848		Talfourd & Seymour Sir Rupert, the Fearless I iii: Let’s seal the bargain with a kiss [she slaps his face] I facks / I could dispense through with your sealing whacks.
1855		C. Kingsley Westward Ho III 287: Iss fegs, Oh, he was a king!
1857		Sherborne Mercury 9 June 7/4: ‘I’feckins I will,’ said the old man.
1867		(con. 1600s) M. Lemon Leyton Hall I 264: Ifeekins! I am losing my head.
1868		Western Gaz. 14 Feb. 3/1: Grammercy, fayre lady, ye rose is redde, i’fackins, ye violets blue.
1871		Exeter Fling Post 5 July 8/2: I fackins and gadsooks (whatever that may mean) the workmen have advanced so quickly.
1877		‘Canny Newcassel’ in Laughing Songster 107: By my faicks! it’s been built up by Adam’s awn neaves.
1878		J.H. Nicholson ‘Bunkum in Parvo’ in Opal Fever 113: You coward, i’feggs.
1886		M.E. Braddon Mohawks III 238: ‘Ifackens, so I did, wench!’ cried the Dowager, who was very vulgar when she was in a good temper.
1886		Manchester Courier 24 Dec. 10/5: I’fecks we’ll have a famous do, / An’ ha’ lots of fun.
1923		Wodehouse Leave it to Psmith (1993) 532: About the reign of Henry the Eighth [...] his assistants no doubt assented with many a hearty ‘Grammercy!’ and ‘I’fackins!’ these being expletives to which they were much addicted.
1925		L. Mackay Mourne Folk 104: ‘D’ye min’ the night of the big win’, Thomas?’ asked John McCunningham. ‘Fags, I think I do,’ replied Thomas.