wishaint.
/ˈwɪʃə/, U.S. /ˈwɪʃə/, Irish English /ˈwɪʃə/ Anglo-Irish colloquial.
An exclamation indicating dismay, emphasis, or surprise.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > expectation > surprise, unexpectedness > exclamation of surprise [interjection]
whatOE
well, wellOE
avoyc1300
ouc1300
ay1340
lorda1393
ahaa1400
hillaa1400
whannowc1450
wow1513
why?1520
heydaya1529
ah1538
ah me!a1547
fore me!a1547
o me!a1547
what the (also a) goodyear1570
precious coals1576
Lord have mercy (on us)1581
good heavens1588
whau1589
coads1590
ay me!1591
my stars!a1593
Gods me1595
law1598
Godso1600
to go out1600
coads-nigs1608
for mercy!a1616
good stars!1615
mercy on us (also me, etc.)!a1616
gramercy1617
goodness1623
what next?1662
mon Dieu1665
heugh1668
criminy1681
Lawd1696
the dickens1697
(God, etc.) bless my heart1704
alackaday1705
(for) mercy's sake!1707
my1707
deuce1710
gracious1712
goodly and gracious1713
my word1722
my stars and garters!1758
lawka1774
losha1779
Lord bless me (also you, us, etc.)1784
great guns!1795
mein Gott1795
Dear me!1805
fancy1813
well, I'm sure!1815
massy1817
Dear, dear!1818
to get off1818
laws1824
Mamma mia1824
by crikey1826
wisha1826
alleleu1829
crackey1830
Madonna mia1830
indeed1834
to go on1835
snakes1839
Jerusalem1840
sapristi1840
oh my days1841
tear and ages1841
what (why, etc.) in time?1844
sakes alive!1846
gee willikers1847
to get away1847
well, to be sure!1847
gee1851
Great Scott1852
holy mackerel!1855
doggone1857
lawsy1868
my wig(s)!1871
gee whiz1872
crimes1874
yoicks1881
Christmas1882
hully gee1895
'ullo1895
my hat!1899
good (also great) grief!1900
strike me pink!1902
oo-er1909
what do you know?1909
cripes1910
coo1911
zowiec1913
can you tie that?1918
hot diggety1924
yeow1924
ziggety1924
stone (or stiffen) the crows1930
hullo1931
tiens1932
whammo1932
po po po1936
how about that?1939
hallo1942
brother1945
tie that!1948
surprise1953
wowee1963
yikes1971
never1974
to sod off1976
whee1978
mercy1986
yipes1989
1826 M. Wilmot Let. 29 Feb. (1935) 234 O ‘wisha’ ‘wisha’, shall I ever arrive at the ball I promised you!
1842 S. Lover Handy Andy vi. 70 I'm afeard o' my life to go to bed!.. Wisha! but I'd give the world it was mornin'.
1898 J. D. Brayshaw Slum Silhouettes 49 Oh, wisha! didn't he break the leg of me wid his stick?
1914 J. Joyce Dubliners 157 ‘Wisha! wisha,’ says I. ‘A pound of chops..coming into the Mansion House.’
1936 ‘F. O'Connor’ Bones of Contention 8 Wisha, for goodness' sake will you come down and leave the girl sleep?
1965 N. Munster Antiquarian Jrnl. 9 iv. 186 Wisha, I don't know what to say.
1978 ‘M. M. Kaye’ Far Pavilions lviii. 812 Wisha, but it's a gloomy devil you are an' all.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1986; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
<
int.1826