zookshttp://www.oed.com/dictionary/zooks_int%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_useZooks, int.
Revised 2017

Zooksinterjection

Now chiefly archaic or humorous.
  1. 1600–
    Used as an oath or exclamation expressing asseveration, surprise, etc. Cf. Gadzooks int., Zookers int., Zoodikers int.
    1. 1600
      Zwookes, do you robbe your ghests?
      A. Munday et al., First Part of True Historie Sir I. Old-castle sig. I2v
    2. 1634
      Zookes thou art so brave a fellow that I will stick to thee.
      T. Heywood & R. Brome, Late Lancashire Witches iii. sig. F
    3. 1749
      Zooks, Parson, you remember how he recommended the Veather o' her to me.
      H. Fielding, Tom Jones vol. II. iv. x. 70
    4. 1755
      He eat a plagy deal, Zooks! he'd have beat five Ploomen at a Meal!
      D. Garrick in J. Brown, Barbarossa Prologue sig. A2
    5. 1842
      And as for that shocking bad habit of swearing,..leave it to dustmen and mobs, Nor commit yourself much beyond ‘Zooks!’ or ‘Odsbobs!’
      R. H. Barham, Lay St. Cuthbert in Ingoldsby Legends 2nd Series 235
    6. 1855
      Zooks, what's to blame?
      R. Browning, Fra Lippo Lippi in Men & Women vol. I. 35
    7. 1926
      But Zooks ! I wished the fiendish speed back again when we struck the avenue.
      American Journal of Nursing vol. 26 261/1
    8. 2015
      Zooks! Most especially, avoid quarrels with authority figures.
      Daily Sitka (Alaska) Sentinel 6 April 5/3

Zooks, int. was revised in June 2017.

Zooks, int. was last modified in July 2023.