Green’s Dictionary of Slang

an excl. of surprise.

1781		G. Parker View of Society I 48: Blow me up (says he) if I have had a fellow with such rum toggys cross my company these many a day.
1811		J. Poole Hamlet Travestie I ii: Now blow me if you go.
c.1820		‘Sale of a Wife’ in C. Hindley Curiosities of Street Lit. (1871) 40: O! blow me, it was a spree.
1829		Hobart-Town Cousier [sic] 28 Nov. 3/2: Blow me, but I am glad to see you.
1832		Egan Bk of Sports 49: Blow me, if I don’t love a bit of life.
1835		Duncombe Dens of London 48: Blow me, if one of the young ladies—and a prime un she was!—did not tip me a tanner.
1848		Sinks of London Laid Open 43: [as cit. 1835].
1852		Kendal Mercury 3 Apr. 6/2: Vy, blow me, if he dident turn up his blinkers (eyes) like a croaking quacker (dying duck), and said, ‘if you doesn’t give hover, I’ll get my mother to mill your napper (punch your head).
1859, 1860		Hotten Dict. of Modern Sl. etc.
1866		Wild Boys of London I 105/2: ‘Hallo!’ said Hallelujah, ‘if that ain’t Dick Lane’s voice, blow me!’.
1873		W.H. Thomes Slaver’s Adventures 357: Blow me, if this isn’t the best thing I ever heard of.
1890		Charles Nott ‘In Old Kent Road’ 🎵 Said he, ‘Oh blow me, if it ain’t my Ria!’ She hitched her bustle up, and said, ‘You bet!’.
1895		L. Stuart [perf. Vesta Tilley] The Little Madmoiselle 🎵 ‘Blow me, Liza - now what cheer? What ’yer doin’ over 'ere?’.
1899		W.T. Goodge ‘A Snake Yarn’ in Bulletin 21 Jan. 14: ‘You talk of snakes,’ said Jack the Rat, ‘But blow me, one hot summer, I seen a thing that knocked me flat – ’.
1899		W.T. Goodge ‘Hits! Skits! & Jingles!’ in Wannan Folklore of Aus. Pub (1972) 30: ‘Blow me blue!’ says Bill the Pinker.
1900		Marvel III:55 6: Bloom me!
1908		A.N. Lyons Arthur’s 288: Blow me if I don’t shake the innards outer you.
1917		A.G. Empey Over the Top 44: With a look of disdain, he exclaimed: ‘Blow me, your shirt! Why in ’ell didn’t you use mud?’.
1924		S. Scott Human Side of Crook and Convict Life 25: Blow me, Tom, ain’t ’e ’ot?
1931		B. Lubbock Bully Hayes 26: Blow me if he didn’t set up Bully Hayes’s wife in the saloon business.
1938		N. Lindsay Age Of Consent 73: Blow me if I didn’t go to sleep.
1950		(con. 1936–46) K.S. Prichard Winged Seeds (1984) 229: Blow me, Charles, if I don’t feel like buyin’ meself a new suit and goin’ over to Melbourne to try me luck.
1963		(con. 1944) L. Glassop Rats in New Guinea 149: Blow me if the Nips didden crack like they done near Eora Creek.
1976		‘Hergé’ Tintin and the Picaros 51: Blow me, look who’s here!
1986		F. Taylor Auf Wiedersehen Pet Two 225: ‘Oh, blow me,’ he said. ‘You still in Spain?’.
1999		L. Gould Shagadelically Speaking 18: ’Blow me’, The retort of Dr. Evil’s son, Scott, upon being asked by his father whether or not he wants ‘to see what Daddy does for a living’.
2000		Observer Rev. 2 Apr. 3: Blow me, [...] the fastest-finger question was about the Royal Family.