Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a euph. excl., lit. ‘God’s wounds!’.

1567

16001650170017501800

1838

1567		Trial of Treasure Aiiii: Woundes and hartes who can abyde this. [...] Woundes and fleshe, I was almost down on my back.
1635		Long Meg of Westminster 6: If any stale Cutter comes in and thinks to pay the shot with swearing, hey! gogs! wounds!
1699		N. Ward London Spy X 245: Wounds, my Lady [...] have a care you don no fall.
1704		‘Helter Skelter’ in N. Ward Poems on Divers Subjects (1706) 176: Wouns, hold your Popish tittle-tattle.
1706		Farquhar Recruiting Officer II iii: Wauns, I have a month’s mind to go with him!
1715		S. Centlivre Gotham Election I i: Wounds, play what I bad ye.
1728		Vanbrugh & Cibber Provoked Husband IV i: Waunds! Lad, I shall ha’ noa Stomach at this Rate!
1733		Laugh and Be Fat 5: Are these his Tricks, with a Pox to him? Wounds!
1748		Smollett Roderick Random (1979) 48: Waunds, captain! whay woan’t yau sooffer the poor waggoneer to meake a penny?
1753		Foote Englishman in Paris in Works (1799) I 35: Wounds! how the powder flew about, and the Monsieurs scour’d.
1777		Lottery Jest-Book 16: ‘Wounds,’ answered he, ‘for all she looks so plaguy fine.’.
a.1790		C. Dibdin ‘Wounds, Here’s Such a Coil’ Collection of Songs II 12: [song title] .
1802		G. Colman Yngr Poor Gentleman I i: Wauns! let me come at him.
1838		D. Jerrold Men of Character I 58: ‘Wounds!’ roared the waggoner.