Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a euph. oath, lit. ‘God’s death’.

1607		Dekker & Webster Northward Hoe IV i: How now, Sdeath what do you meane?
c.1614		Beaumont & Fletcher Bonduca IV iv: ’S death, I shall love her.
c.1618		Massinger & Field Fatal Dowry (1632) III i: S’death will you suffer this?
c.1631		R. Brome Queens Exchange Act V: S’death, it is he.
1662		‘M.W.’ Marriage Broaker I i: ’Death, I forgot my self.
1668		Etherege She Would if She Cou’d I i: ’Sdeath, why did you not tell him I was busie?
1675		Wycherley Country-Wife II i: S’death, I’ll not suffer it.
1679		Behn Feign’d Curtizans 19: ’Sdeath, how she darts me through with every look!
1681		Otway Soldier’s Fortune II i: ’Sdeath! what’s that I see?
1686		Behn Lucky Chance III i: S’death how she stank.
1695		Congreve Love for Love III i: ’Sdeath, are you not ashamed?
1706		S. Centlivre Love at a Venture IV ii: Z’death, and why did you so, Sirrah?
1707		Farquhar Beaux’ Strategem I i: ’Sdeath, child, you have a pair of delicate eyes, and you don’t know what to do with ’em!
1714		S. Centlivre Wonder! I iii: ’Sdeath! Rascal, speak without hesitation.
1721		Penkethman’s Jests 23: ’Sdeath, said the Lover, can’t I get out thro’ the Parlour Casement.
1733		C. Coffey Boarding-School 11: S’Death, Sir! what do you mean?
1748		Smollett Roderick Random (1979) 51: ’Sdeath! the army is come to a fine pass, when such fellows as you get commissions.
1759–67		Sterne Tristram Shandy (1949) 232: ’Sdeath! cried my great grandfather.
1775		Sheridan Rivals (1776) II i: ’Sdeath! – you rascal! you have not trusted him!
1780		H. Cowley Belle’s Stratagem II i: ’Sdeath! Another room full!
c.1790		‘Peter Pindar’ ‘The Rights of Kings’ Works (1794) III 11: ’Sdeath, Sirs! it was the Queen’s fond wish.
1802		G. Colman Yngr Poor Gentleman I ii: ’Sdeath! do you think me mad?
1814		I. Pocock John of Paris I i: ’Sdeath! he’ll set my blood on fire!
1827		T. Morton A School For Grown Children I ii: ’Sdeath! he’ll corrupt the country in a week.
1837		R.M. Bird Nick of the Woods I 223: ‘’Sdeath!’ said Roland.
1843		W.T. Moncrieff Scamps of London II ii: ’Sdeath! Bye-and-bye – impossible, sir.
c.1850		Peeping Tom (London) 3 12/2: ’Sdeath,’ said the lover, ‘can’t I get out at the parlour window?’.
1860		Green Mountain Freeman (Montpelier, VT) 2 Feb. 1/2: ‘Shall I proceed?’ ‘Not with your d—d law [...] If you should, s’death, I won’t answer for the consequences.
1869		‘Mark Twain’ Innocents Abroad 213: ’S’death! What can ye do? Curb thy prating tongue.
1886		M.E. Braddon Mohawks III 152: ’Sdeath, Middleton, d’ye mean to insult me?
1896		Leeds Mercury 8 Feb. 12/3: ‘S’death, I guessed as much’.
1910		Bulletin (Sydney) 21 July 10/1: ’Sdeath! Has the caitiff not the sense / To be polite and affable.
1959		A. Sinclair Breaking of Bumbo (1961) 17: In fact, zoonds and sdeath, any room for a Boswell, Johnson?