int. Now rare or Obs. In later use a literary archaism. Forms: 6 zownes, 7 zoones, ’zons, zons, zonnes (?), dzowns, zownds, zwounds, zauns, 7–8 ’zoons, 7–9 zoons, 8 ’dswounds, 7– zounds. (Cf. ZINES.) A euphemistic abbreviation of by God’s wounds (1535, 1573, s.v. GOD sb. 14 a) used in oaths and asseverations.
1600. Rowlands, Lett. Humours Blood, Sat. v. 72. If any fall together by the eares, To field cries he; why? zownes (to field) he sweares.
1605. Armin, Foole vpon F., E 3 b. One comes sweating, zoones (Cobler) the boots.
1607. Dekker, Hist. Sir T. Wyatt, Wks. 1873, III. 119. Zwounds I was talking with a crue of vagabondes.
1614. J. Cooke, Greene’s Tu Quoque, C 2. Spend. M. Rash! zownds how does he know I am here?
1616. Marlowe’s Faustus, 1158. Zounds hee’l raise vp a Kennell of Diuels. Ibid., 1300. ’Zons, hornes againe.
1623. Shaks. John, II. ii. 466. Zounds, I was neuer so bethumpt with words.
1682. Tories’ Conf., in Roxb. Ball. (1882), IV. 269. Dzowns, we’l have none but honest Souls.
1699. Farquhar, Love & Bottle, II. ii. Zoons is only us’d by the disbanded Officers and Bullies: but Zauns is the Beaux pronuncation [sic].
1712. Arbuthnot, John Bull, II. ix. ’Dswounds! why dost thou not lay out thy money to purchase a place at court?
1739. Joe Miller’s Jests, 3. Zoons, Sir, said an old Campaigner … who’s that?
1812. Combe, Picturesque, x. Syntax look’d wild—the man said ‘Zounds! You know you betted twenty pounds.’
1821. Sporting Mag. (N.S.), VII. 180. Zoons! said we, deranging the economy of our grey hairs.
1847. Lytton, Lucretia, I. i. Zounds, Charles, I love you, and that’s the truth.
1883. Fortn. Rev., July, 111. Forgiven me! Zounds! I must correct him in that.
Hence † Zounds v. (obs. nonce-wd.) intr. to exclaim ‘zounds.’
1680. Dryden, Kind Keeper, IV. i. 39. When he loses upon the Square, he comes home Zoundzing and Blooding.
