'snails

See also: snails

English

Etymology

From God's nails, or His nails, i.e. those with which Jesus Christ was crucified.

Interjection

'snails

(obsolete) An oath.
- c. 1613, Thomas Middleton, William Rowley, “Wit at Several Weapons. A Comedy.”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1647, →OCLC, Act V, scene i:
  'Snails , I'm almost starv'd with Love, and Cold, and one thing or other

Further reading

“'snails”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.