laws-a-mercy
English
[edit]Interjection
[edit]laws-a-mercy
- (Southern US, Appalachia, possibly dated) A minced oath for "Lord have mercy".
- 1856, Invisible Green, William G.] [Crippen, Green Peas: Picked from the Patch of Invisible Green, Esq. ..., page 160:
- "Laws-a-mercy!" exclaimed the old lady," I wonder if you kin tell true?" "The science never fails," replied a voice we had heard before. "Will you choose clairvoyance or the cards?" "It does not matter a mite to me."
- 1859, F Claudius Armstrong, The Lily of Devon, page 172:
- "Laws-a-mercy! I gets eight pounds, and Mrs. Jones, thirty pounds and perquisites; and you, a young lady, that knows so much. Laws-a-mercy! what a shame."
- 1895, Lilian Bell, A Little Sister to the Wilderness, page 225:
- "[...] laws-a-mercy! Laws-a-mercy! What shall we do? Everybody that can get away will light out, and who will hep those that have to stay?"