Great-Scottv.
/ˌɡreɪtˈskɒt/, U.S. /ˌɡreɪtˈskɑt/ colloquial. Somewhat rare.
transitive and intransitive. To exclaim ‘Great Scott!’ (at), express great surprise (at).
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > voice or vocal sound > cry or exclamation > cry or exclaim [verb (intransitive)]
remeeOE
ropeOE
gredec1000
epec1175
yeiec1175
ascry1352
to cry out1382
to lift (up) a cry, one's voice1382
cryc1384
outcryc1390
yawlc1400
openc1425
bursta1450
yelp?c1450
escry1483
assurd1523
to break forth1526
gaure1530
to call out?1532
exclaim1570
reclaim1611
voice1627
blathe1640
to set up one's pipes1671
bawze1677
sing1813
Great-Scott1902
yip1907
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > voice or vocal sound > cry or exclamation > cry or exclaim [verb (transitive)]
to bolk out1382
cryc1384
belchc1500
out-braya1561
to cry out1597
belvea1794
re-ejaculate1826
sing1833
ejaculate1853
explete1902
Great-Scott1902
yip1927
1902 Gleanings Bee Culture 1 Apr. 276/1 He ‘Great Scotts’ the idea of greater uniformity, with yields varying from 54 to 317.
1902 ‘M. Twain’ in Harper's Weekly 6 Dec. 9/1 ‘Ger-reat Scott!’ ejaculated the Major... The secretary said, wonderingly: ‘Why, what are you Great-Scotting about, Major?’
1963 P. G. Wodehouse Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves i. 10 ‘You don't mean that old crumb was there?’ I said, Great-Scott-ing.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2013; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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v.1902