Green’s Dictionary of Slang

jinks n.

In exclamations

by jinks! (also by jinkers!)

a general euph. excl. (cf. jings! excl.).

1833		‘Ar’nt This Rummy Fun?’ in Fun Alive O! 63: You’ll have to mind the kids, by jinks!
1841		‘The Queen’s Wedding’ in Gentleman’s Spicey Songster 33: Now in this song, that I shall sing, if there is any one / Can prove there’s no improper word, why then I will have done. / So honey’s sweet, and quills make pens, and that is French by jinks.
1855		T. Haliburton Nature and Human Nature 229: I am peeowerful dry, by jinks.
1864		A.F. Hill Our Boys 246: By chinks, it too tam pat!
1872		‘Blixen’s Campaign Song’ in Farmer of Chappaqua Songster 53: By jinks – he does it Brown.
1876		B. Harte Gabriel Conroy II 31: Six Chinymen by Jinks — and a Greaser!
1880		Alexandra & Yea Standard (Vic.) 6 Feb. 3/3: He swore ‘By Jinks!’ he’d do his best.
1889		Whitstable Times 30 Nov. 6/3: ‘By jinkers, pap,’ sez Jerry.
1890		Harrisburg Teleg. (PA) 6 Nov. 3/4: Jinks, Jamesy, but it hurts.
1891		M.D. Landon Eli Perkins: Thirty Years of Wit 217: By Jinks! it’s rotten!
1901		T. Hammond On Board a Whaler 13: Here’s some butter, by jinks!
1906		New Boys’ World 29 Dec. 94: ‘By jinks!’ scoffed Tom.
1914		M. Glass Abe And Mawruss 144: ‘By jinks!’ he said, ‘I’ll do it.’.
1922		(con. late 19C) V. Hemphill Down the Mother Lode 62: ‘By jinks!’ yelled Curley, ‘I’ve coppered the jack! I’ve broken the bank!’.
1929		‘Ellery Queen’ Roman Hat Mystery 253: By jinks! – the canopy over the bed!
1947–53		W. Guthrie Seeds of Man (1995) 363: By jinkers, pardner, th’ room is stacked fulla beehives!
1949		J.H. Burns Lucifer with a Book 78: By Gosh, By Jinkers, By Gum.
1950		L.T. Milic ‘Chipman: A Little-Known Student of Americanisms’ in AS XXV:3 176: By Jinks! An expletive in N.E.