Green’s Dictionary of Slang

George n.²

In exclamations

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

a general excl.

1678		Dryden Kind Keeper V i: Before George, ’tis so!
1731		Fielding Grub Street Opera iii 7: By George, I’ll make an example of him [F&H].
1764		K. O’Hara Midas I iv: An upstart! – rival me! – by George, I’ll pheaze him.
1772		Bridges Burlesque Homer (3rd edn) 256: I will, by George; so there’s an end on’t.
c.1790		‘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.
1818		‘A. Burton’ Adventures of Johnny Newcome III 162: By George, I’ve no objection.
1844		Thackeray Barry Lyndon (1905) 166: By George! Captain Berry.
1846		H.W. Forester My Shooting Box 18: By George! but that is splendid, Harry.
c.1850		F.M. Whitcher Widow Bedott Papers (1883) 96: ‘By George!’ says he, ‘if that ain’t rich!’.
1859		G.H. Miles Mary’s Birthday II i: By the royal George, I hopinioned you’d take a fancy to the girl yourself.
1861		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.
1873		W.H. Thomes Slaver’s Adventures 150: Another petticoat, by George [...] Where in the devil’s name did you pick her up?
1885		A. Griffiths Fast and Loose III 222: By George! I’ll risk it.
1888		A.C. Gunter Mr Potter of Texas 89: George! she’s been a widow eighteen months.
1896		Ade Artie (1963) 55: By George, Artie, you are hard hit.
1900		T. Dreiser Sister Carrie 65: George! but I’m glad to see you again.
1903		J. Furphy Such is Life 41: By George! there’s not half a second to lose.
1910		Wodehouse Gentleman of Leisure Ch. xx: ‘Will it?’ he cried, pink to the ears. ‘Will it, by George?’.
1916		P. Kyne Cappy Ricks 122: By George, I’ll just do that!
1922		Joyce Ulysses 155: He did come a wallop, by George. Must have cracked his skull on the cobblestones.
1927		W.S. Maugham Letter I i: By George, yes!
1936		(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.
1937		D.L. Sayers Busman’s Honeymoon (1974) 133: By George, you were making it easy for him.
1946		I. Bolton Do I Wake or Sleep in N.Y. Mosaic (1999) 57: By George, I never saw anything like you – you’re perfection.
1952		K. Vonnegut ‘Any Reasonable Offer’ in Bagombo Snuff Box (1999) 37: By George, but that’s got a lovely bouquet!
1959		J. Osborne World of Paul Slickey Act II: By George, yes!
1972		C.E. Palmer Wooing of Beppo Tate 155: I had been told he was handsome, by george.
1978		F. Norman Dead Butler Caper 84: By george, du Ponte, I do believe you’re right.