Green’s Dictionary of Slang

holy poker n.1

In exclamations

by the holy poker! (also by poker! by the hoky-poky! by the holy iron! by the holy poker of hell! holy poker!) [the instrument of punishment used in Purgatory]

(Irish) a mild oath.

Show quotations
[UK]M. & R. Lovell Edgeworth Essays on Irish Bulls 132: The full formula runs thus – By the holy poker of Hell!
[US]H.H. Brackenridge Modern Chivalry (1937) Pt II Vol. I Bk I 393: By de holy poker, said Teague, I will be no judge.
[Ire]‘The May Bush’ in A. Carpenter Verse in Eng. in 18C Ireland (1998) 342: Oh! Gog’s blood, says Bill Durham [...] Oh! by de hoky.
[Ire]‘A Real Paddy’ Real Life in Ireland 30: By the holy poker!
[US]A. Greene Life and Adventures of Dr Dodimus Duckworth I 189: Howsomever, by the holy poker, I’ll have a kiss.
[UK]Marryat Mr Midshipman Easy III 9: By de holy poker, Massa Easy, but that terrible sort of gale the other day any how — I tink one time, we all go to Davy Joney’s lacker.
[UK]Comic Almanack Feb. 214: A hotel’s the place for me! I’ve thried ’em all, from the Club-house at Kilkinny to the Clarendon, and, by the holy poker, never wish myself worse luck than such cantonments!
[UK]G.W.M. Reynolds Mysteries of London II (2nd series) 34: Then, be the holy poker-r! I ask your pardon.
[Ind]Delhi Sketch Bk 1 July 82/1: ‘By the holy poker,’ says I, ‘was ever sick a big baste of a mountain’.
[US]T. Haliburton Nature and Human Nature I 363: By the holy poker, but my arm is broke.
[UK]Hotten Dict. of Modern Sl. etc. (2nd edn).
[Scot]Dundee Advertiser 14 Sept. 3/7: Is ‘By George,’ ‘by Jingo,’ or ‘By the Holy Poker,’ punishable under the Act?
[UK]J. Greenwood Dick Temple I 49: Bit, by the holy poker!
[Scot]R.L. Stevenson Kidnapped 169: I swear upon the Holy Iron I had neither art nor part, act nor thought in it.
[SA]B. Mitford Fire Trumpet I 108: I never saw anything to beat that – by the holy poker I never did.
[Aus]H. Nisbet ‘Bail Up!’ 217: By the holy poker which smote Pharaoh!
[Aus]‘Rolf Boldrewood’ Colonial Reformer I 171: By the holy poker! Mr. Banks, you’ve ‘monkeyed’ him enough for one while.
[US]A.C. Gunter M.S. Bradford Special 139: Holy poker, if Myra should ever hear of the defunct Percy’s amour in the Tenderloin! [Ibid.] 270: ‘By poker!’ cries Mr. Wallie Peters.
[US]J. Flynt Tramping with Tramps 162: By the hoky-poky, I had to look fer a new coat ‘for’ I left the town – blasted mean dog they got there.
[Aus]Sydney Sportsman (Surry Hills, NSW) 28 Nov. 2/4: ‘By the holy poker, if ma caught him then, there’d be feathers and hair flying’.
[Ire]L. Doyle Ballygullion (1927) 76: Afther pokin’ a bit, whin he thries to work the joint, – ‘be the holy poker,’ sez he, ‘she’s stuck’.
[Ire]L. Doyle Dear Ducks 252: An’ if I’d got him, by the Holy Poker, I’d ha’ deserted.
posting at Tantrix Tournaments 7 July 🌐 By the holy poker, what are u speaking about, silly boy??