Green’s Dictionary of Slang

George n.2

In exclamations

by George! (also before George! George!) [synon. for by Jesus!]

a general excl.

[UK]Dryden Kind Keeper V i: Before George, ’tis so!
Fielding Grub Street Opera iii 7: By George, I’ll make an example of him [F&H].
[Ire]K. O’Hara Midas I iv: An upstart! – rival me! – by George, I’ll pheaze him.
[UK]Bridges Burlesque Homer (3rd edn) 256: I will, by George; so there’s an end on’t.
[Ire] ‘The Connaughtman’s Visit to Dublin’ Luke Caffrey’s Gost 4: If you refuse to pay her the whole, / By George you must shirtinly march to the gaol.
[UK]‘A. Burton’ Adventures of Johnny Newcome III 162: By George, I’ve no objection.
[UK]Thackeray Barry Lyndon (1905) 166: By George! Captain Berry.
[US]H.W. Forester My Shooting Box 18: By George! but that is splendid, Harry.
[US]F.M. Whitcher Widow Bedott Papers (1883) 96: ‘By George!’ says he, ‘if that ain’t rich!’.
[US]G.H. Miles Mary’s Birthday II i: By the royal George, I hopinioned you’d take a fancy to the girl yourself.
[UK]T. Hughes Tom Brown at Oxford (1880) 104: Yes, by George, whatever fellows say of me, they shall never say I didn’t stand by a man who has stood by me.
[US]W.H. Thomes Slaver’s Adventures 150: Another petticoat, by George [...] Where in the devil’s name did you pick her up?
[UK]A. Griffiths Fast and Loose III 222: By George! I’ll risk it.
[US]A.C. Gunter Mr Potter of Texas 89: George! she’s been a widow eighteen months.
[US]Ade Artie (1963) 55: By George, Artie, you are hard hit.
[US]T. Dreiser Sister Carrie 65: George! but I’m glad to see you again.
[Aus]J. Furphy Such is Life 41: By George! there’s not half a second to lose.
[UK]Wodehouse Gentleman of Leisure Ch. xx: ‘Will it?’ he cried, pink to the ears. ‘Will it, by George?’.
[US]P. Kyne Cappy Ricks 122: By George, I’ll just do that!
[Ire]Joyce Ulysses 155: He did come a wallop, by George. Must have cracked his skull on the cobblestones.
[UK]W.S. Maugham Letter I i: By George, yes!
[Aus](con. 1830s–60s) ‘Miles Franklin’ All That Swagger 396: Must go from their mothers – by George! they must go with their mothers straight into planes.
[UK]D.L. Sayers Busman’s Honeymoon (1974) 133: By George, you were making it easy for him.
[Aus]S .J. Baker Aus. Vulgarisms [t/s] 6: Jesus: Jeez, jeewizz, gee, jiminy, by Jove, by George, by jingo, by jingies, jericho, jerusalem. [added in pencil: Jiminy Cricket.
[US]I. Bolton Do I Wake or Sleep in N.Y. Mosaic (1999) 57: By George, I never saw anything like you – you’re perfection.
[US]K. Vonnegut ‘Any Reasonable Offer’ in Bagombo Snuff Box (1999) 37: By George, but that’s got a lovely bouquet!
[UK]J. Osborne World of Paul Slickey Act II: By George, yes!
[UK]C.E. Palmer Wooing of Beppo Tate 155: I had been told he was handsome, by george.
[UK]F. Norman Dead Butler Caper 84: By george, du Ponte, I do believe you’re right.