Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(orig. US) a mild excl., nonsense! rubbish! not a chance!

1910		Adventure Nov. 47/2: ‘Nuts!’ he said in deep scorn. ‘This regiment won the battle!’ [OED].
1930		D. Hammett ‘The First Thin Man’ in Nightmare Town (2001) 362: ‘What do you say you do some detective-story reviews for my page.’ [...] ‘You asked me that before,’ Guild said. ‘Nuts.’.
1939		J. Weidman What’s In It For Me? 151: ‘Nuts,’ I said, walking right past him.
1946		J. Evans Halo in Blood (1988) 84: Nuts. You can comb the rubber hose out of your eyebrows, Lieutenant.
1959		A. Zugsmith Beat Generation 104: Oh, nuts.
1963		M. Spillane Return of the Hood 20: Nuts, baby. Nobody’s hurryin’ Big Step.
1979		Fantastic Four Annual 44: Nuts! What’re they fightin’ us with now. . . flash-bulbs??
1989		Beano Comic Library No. 182 37: Nuts! Sheriff!
2000		M. Collins Keepers of Truth 268: He said ‘Nuts!’ when I said Sam wasn’t around.