Green’s Dictionary of Slang

an excl. of surprise, shock, wonder or amazement.

1882		Nat. Police Gaz. (NY) 18 Mar. 6/3: ‘Sacred smoke!’cries the [orchestra] leader [...] ‘what is it now?’.
1883		Daily Trib. (Bismarck, ND) 5 Sept. 11/5: Holy smoke, you ought to see me down Phil Sheridan on ‘draw’.
1890		H. Lawson ‘A Word to Texas Jack’ in Roderick (1967–9) I 65: Holy smoke! In such a saddle how the dickens can you fall?
1896		S. Crane George’s Mother (2001) 80: ‘Holy smoke!’ said Kelcey.
1898		Binstead & Wells Pink ’Un and Pelican 27: Holy blue smoke! there were four days of it!
1899		A. Binstead Gal’s Gossip 45: Smoly Hoke! thinks I —.
1902		S.E. White Blazed Trail 160: They sent some low-lived whelp down there to hang our drive, and by smoke it looks like they were going to succeed, thanks to you mutton-heads.
1902		Ben Sun ‘Cocky’s Handy Man’ in Bulletin Reciter 1880–1901 164: Holy Smoke! the pig is out!
1904		C. Connors Bowery Life [ebook] if you don’t give me phat belongs to me [...] be the holy smoke, I’ll bate your dirty, yellow puss till there’s more wrinkles in it.
1905		E.W. Hornung A Thief in the Night (1992) 380: Holy smoke, how I hope we’ve landed one alive!
1911		Gem 28 Oct. 10: ‘Howly smoke!’ suddenly exclaimed Reilly.
1913		T.A. Dorgan Silk Hat Harry’s Divorce Suit 18 Jan. [synd. cartoon strip] Holy smoke but it’s cold.
1914		M. Glass Potash And Perlmutter 89: ‘Holy smokes!’ he cried.
1919		V. Marshall World of Living Dead (1969) 102: By the holy smokes, this extra chain business was comin’ it a bit too strong.
1920		‘Sapper’ Bulldog Drummond 99: Holy smoke! laddie.
1922		Joyce Ulysses 498: Holy smoke! You little know what’s in store for you.
1922		M.E. Smith Adventures of a Boomer Op. 75: This guy a detective? Smoke! he couldn’t track an elephant up a blind alley in four feet of snow if the elephant had a nose bleed.
1928		J. Callahan Man’s Grim Justice 14: Holy smokes! [...] I guess I can take another crack at the business for fifty dollars.
1931		‘William Hatfield’ Sheepmates 121: By the howly smoke ye’re right, an’ all!
1935		S. Kingsley Dead End Act III: Holy smokes! [...] Look a dat!
1938		X. Herbert Capricornia (1939) 25: Holy Smoke! A father? Surely not!
1945		‘Henry Green’ Loving (1978) 71: Holy smoke if we was to creep upstairs tomorrow after dinner and find those two slaves of hers laid out on their little beds.
1949		H. Miller Sexus (1969) 93: Holy Smokes! What’s happened?
1953		L. Uris Battle Cry (1964) 31: Holy smoke, you’re going to mess up everything.
1964		Batman No. 163 3: Holy Smoke!
1976		R. Morrieson Pallet on the Floor 92: Holy smoke! What a worry?
2000		Observer Rev. 2 Apr. 2: Oh my goodness! Holy smoke!
2000		P. Cornwell Last Precinct 130: ‘You’re the lady on TV,’ he pipes up. ‘Holy smoke.’.
2002		W. Fiennes Snow Geese (2002) 129: Jesus Christ! What the holy smoke are they up to?