gad·zooks

(găd′zo͞oks′)

interj.

Used as a mild or ironic oath.

[Perhaps alteration of God's hooks, the nails of the crucifixion of Jesus.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

gadzooks

(ɡædˈzuːks)

interj

archaic a mild oath

[C17: perhaps from God's hooks (the nails of the cross); see Gad¹]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

Gad•zooks

(ˌgædˈzuks)

interj. Archaic.

(used as a mild oath.)

[1645–55; perhaps representing God's hooks (i.e., the nails of Christ's Cross)]

gadzooks

- An abridgment of God's hooks, "nails of the cross."

gadzooks

interj (old) → Kruzitürken (old)

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

"Gadzooks!" exclaimed Little John who presently spied her.

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'Gadzooks, who can help seeing the way to do it?--you astonish me!

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We also shouted for Sir Trumpsalot and spoke in his language saying words like 'Huzzah' and 'Gadzooks'.

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Gadzooks! - by my dad, although I often feel bad for not having given him that opportunity, but only because tradition demands it.

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