ten bones n.
the fingers of both hands; thus excl. (swear) by these ten bones! a mild oath.
 | Digby Myst. (1882) 4 note: By thes bonys ten thei be to you untrue [F&H]. | |
![[UK]](/static/img/flags/uk.png "United Kingdom") | ‘Herods Killing of Children’ Digby Mysteries (1882) 4: By thes bonys ten thei be to you vntrue. | |
| Hickscorner Aiii: Where laye I last beshrewe your herte Jone Now by these bones she hath begyled me. | |
| 1528Rede me and be nott wrothe [trans.] n.p.: Thou ware a fole by thyse ten bones. | |
| Thersytes (1550) D iiii: By this tenne bones / She served me ones / A touch for the nones / I was sicke and laye in my bedde. | |
| Four P.P. in Farmer Dramatic Writings (1905) 58: Yet, by these ten bones, I could right well, Ten times sooner all that believed. | |
| Jacke Juggler Biiii: I am a seruaunt of this house by thes x bons. [Ibid.] Ciii: By these tene bones myne is the same. | |
| Pappe with an Hatchet C3: Take away this beard, and giue me a pikedevaunt, Martin sweares by his ten bones. | |
| Henry VI Pt 2 I iii: By these ten bones, my lords, he did speak to me in the garret one night. | |
| Wonderfull Yeare 82: An Angell he wanted to be his guide, and vnder ten shillings (by his ten bones) he would not put his finger into the fire. | |
| Coxcomb II ii: By these ten bones, I’ll turn she-ape, and untile / A house, but I’ll have it. | |
| Masque of the Gipsies in Q. Horatius Flaccus (1640) 64: I sweare by these ten / You shall have it agen. | |
| The gentile craft pt 2 n.p.: Who I quoth Gillian? now by these ten bones it was never my mind to say him nay. | |
| ‘Upon Skurffe’ Hesperides I 251: Skurffe by his Nine-bones sweares, and well he may, All know a Fellon eate the Tenth away. | |
| The Presbyterian lash n.p.: [I]de ne’re come there more, by these ten bones, and that's a great oath. | |
| Lancashire Witches Act IV: I shall have thee to Morrow in these Arms! by these ten bones. | |
| The shepherd and the king n.p.: [B]y these ten bones I never thought / the same that now I see. |