Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a euph. for God!

1601		Marston Jacke Drums Entertainment Act I: Stay Vinifrede, or by gor die, me die, me die by gor.
1787		R. Tyler Contrast III i: Gor, that’s a fib.
1799		‘Buddy Quow’ in Lalla & D’Costa Lang. in Exile (1990) 111: Gor Mighty da nah Buf / See how Quasheba do me.
1829		Exeter & Plymouth Gaz. 5 Sept. 4/2: Id was all nonsense wid me, so afore you could say Jack Lattin, I caught him wid my left hand under the ear. ‘Oh, by Gor!’ says I.
1836		T. Haliburton Clockmaker I 165: Why, my Gor, massa.
1842		S. Lover Handy Andy 12: Well! if he did make me pay elevenpence, by gor, I brought your honour the worth o’ your money anyhow!
1848		D.O. Madden Revelations of Ireland 115: Wisha, by gor, that bangs Banagher!
1851		Melville Moby Dick (1907) 257: But by Gor! you must stop dat dam racket!
1860		Poughkeepsie Jrnl (NY) 5 May 1/5: By gor [...] he seen the large hape o’ guineas [...] growin’ littler and littler’.
1863		C. Reade Hard Cash I 287: Goramighty he reared all white men to kick up a dust.
1892		‘Fanny Flukem’s Ball’ in Bird o’ Freedom (Sydney) in J. Murray Larrikins (1973) 39: I’ll tell you of a ryebuck spree – / Gor’, blue me, it was grand.
1897		W.S. Maugham Liza of Lambeth (1966) 36: Go’ lummy! [...] that was something like!
1909		Sun. Times (Perth) 15 Aug. 45/5: W’y, there’s only Wilson, Gor blast his eyes!
1915		Truth (Brisbane) 25 July 3/3: ‘Gaw-lumme! yer oughter talk after that “thimble-’n’-sling” racket, in Chow’s Alley, when the “demon” dipped yer from- under the bed in Red Mag’s bug house’.
1930		Townsville daily Bull. 1 Nov. 8/3: Go’struth, who’s silly enough to drink bread?
1943		(con. 1850s) G.A. Little Malachi Horan Remembers 28: Gor-a-war, you would have thought by the look of her that she was carrying a cow.
1960		J. Walker No Sunlight Singing (1966) 195: ‘Gor,’ he told his mate, ‘she looks like a film star [...] but she’s an abo all right.’.
2003		K. Cage Gayle 73/1: Gora excl. (acronym) God, but you’re stupid! [Combination of God + Nora].