Jesus H. Christ!, excl. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

Jesus H. Christ! excl.

also Jesus F. Christ! Jesus H! Jesus H. Crow! Jesus H. Johnson! Jesus H. Mahogany Christ! Jesus hopping Christ! Jesus Johnnycake Christ! Jeezus K. Reist! Jesus X. Christ! J.H. Christ! Judas H. Christ!

[the H is redundant other than for rhythm, although DARE suggests a link to IHS, the monogram for Jesus; note Quinion 5/8/00: ‘There have been various theories, but the one that seems most plausible is that it comes from the Greek monogram for Jesus, “IHS” or “IHC”. This is formed from the first two letters plus the last letter of His name in Greek (the letters iota, eta, and sigma; in the second instance, the C is a Byzantine Greek form of sigma). The H is actually the capital letter form of eta, but churchgoers who were unfamiliar with Greek took it to be a Latin H.’]

a mild oath.

1887–1888		‘Mark Twain’ Notebooks and Journals 3: 305: In correcting the pamphlet-proof of one of [Rev. Alex] Campbell’s great sermons, Wales [McCormick] changed ‘Great God!’ to ‘Great Scott,’ and changed Father, Son & Holy Ghost to Father, Son, & Caesar’s Ghost. In overrunning, he reduced it to Father, Son & Co., to keep from overrunning. And Jesus H. Christ.
1889		Dead Bird (Sydney) 27 July 8/3: ‘Mustn’t smoke, mustn’t blank well smoke? Oh, J.H. C —t, here’s a go. I’m losing £500 as fast as I bully well can and I mustn’t smoke’.
1925		J. Stevens ‘Logger Talk’ in AS I:3 139: Holy old blue-bellied, bald-headed, Jesus H. jumping old mackinaw Christ!
1935		N. Algren Somebody in Boots 171: Jeezus K. Reist. What y’all been doin’ down there anyhow?
1935		J. Conroy World to Win 127: I don’t want to be ultra-critical, but Jesus X. Keerist, it’s not so good.
1939		H. Miller Tropic of Capricorn (1964) 171: A bright, dewy, vaginal laughter such as Jesus H. Christ and Immanuel Pussy-foot Kant never dreamed of.
1941		B. Schulberg What Makes Sammy Run? (1992) 81: Jesus H. Christ I’ve got it!
1953		L. Uris Battle Cry (1964) 69: ‘Jesus H. Christ,’ L.Q. cried.
1957		‘Weldon Hill’ Onionhead (1958) 158: ‘Holy jesus h. johnson!’ Al exploded.
1959		K. Waterhouse Billy Liar (1962) 55: I had already cured her of calling me ‘pet lamb’ by going ‘Jesus H. Christ!’ explosively when she said it.
1960		A. Buzo Front Room Boys Scene ii: Jesus F. Christ!
1966		M. Rumaker Exit 3 and Other Stories 21: Jesus H. Christ!
1966		R.E. Alter Carny Kill (1993) 83: ‘Jesus H. Mahogany Christ,’ Jerry said.
1970		D. Mitchell Thumb Tripping (1971) 156: Jesus F. Christ. Are you all right, you little dick-tease?
1971		T. Thackrey Thief 246: Picture! Jesus H. Mahogany Christ!
1977		E. Torres Q&A 135: I’m being set up, he thought. Jesus H. Christ.
1978		L.K. Truscott IV Dress Gray (1979) 204: Jesus H. fuckin’ Christ.
1982		R.M. Brown Southern Discomfort (1983) 79: Jesus H. Christ on a raft.
1989		C. Hiaasen Skin Tight 171: ‘Jesus H. Christ,’ he moaned and bolted for the bathroom.
1996		J. Cameron It Was An Accident 76: Jesus H Christ that hurts.
1999		Bug (Aus.) 14 May 🌐 Judas H Christ, true league fans, what is happening to this once-proud game?
1999		J. Cameron Brown Bread in Wengen [ebook] ‘Jesus H. fucking Christ and his rabbit’.
2000		M. Collins Keepers of Truth 67: Jesus H. Christ, I could do nothing about it.
2001		N. Barlay Hooky Gear 117: Jesus H. They stink to fuck.
2001		K. Waterhouse Soho 127: Jesus hopping Christ! I wasn’t here, all right?
2007		paizo.com 26 Sept. 🌐 What's your current favourite word? [...] Jesus H. Christ on a Stick! (alternatively: Jesus H. Christ on a Bicycle!).
2009		T. Black Gutted 103: Jesus H. Christ . . . I don’t know what to think any more.
2009		P. Temple Truth 46: Jesus Christ [...] Jesus H. Christ.
2009		N. Flexner Disassembled Man [ebook] Well Jesus H. Christ. Seems to me that you’ve got your man.
2012		D. Sheldon ‘Farm Hands’ in Crime Factory: Hard Labour [ebook] Jesus aitch Christ, I don’t believe it.
2013		T. Robinson Hard Bounce [ebook] ‘Jeeeeeesus H. Crow,’ Junior said in awe.
2014		B. Turner My Life as a Foreign Country n.p.: Jesus H Sergeant, I swear — it’s hotter’n a French whore in N’Orleans, even with the cloud cover.
2020		S.A. Crosby Blacktop Wasteland 196: ‘Jesus H. Christ, butt munch, put the gun down’.
2022		J. Hannaham Didn’t Nobody Give a Shit 254: Jesus Christ on a stick [...] stop fuckin in my bed.