α. 1800s Lords'-sake, 1800s lords sake, 1800s lo'd sake, 1800s– lord sake, 1800s– lord-sake, 1800s– lordsake, 1800s– lord's sake (apparently rare).
β. 1800s– lord sakes, 1800s– lordsakes, 1800s– lord's sakes, 1900s– lords sakes (rare).
lordsakeint.
/ˈlɔːdseɪk/, /lɔːdˈseɪk/, U.S. /ˌlɔrdˈseɪk/ colloquial (originally Scottish).
Expressing surprise, exasperation, etc.
ΚΠ
1815 W. Scott Guy Mannering III. ix. 172 Lordsake, what a rackit they're making now!
1866 Sat. Reader 25 Aug. 388/3 ‘Lordsakes, child!’ she cried; ‘but you've hurt yourself, ain't ye?’
1883 R. Cleland Inchbracken iv. 28 Lord sakes! sir, wha's acht the bairn?
1920 T. M. Longstreth Mac of Placid xix. 200 Lordsake, lassie, are ye going to fling off wi'out gien me so muckle as a farthin'.
1939 T. Wilder Our Town (new ed.) ii. 44 Lord's sakes—this has got to stop.
2011 A. D. Likens Wounded White Dove 68 Lordsakes, if it's not one thing it's another.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2016; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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int.1815