strewth

English

Alternative forms

• ’strewth, streuth, strooth, struth, ’struth

Etymology

Minced form of God's truth. Compare zounds, blimey.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /stɹuːθ/

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -uːθ

Interjection

strewth

1. (UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, originally a minced oath) A mild oath expressing surprise or generally adding emphasis.
   • 1957, Greta X (Angela Pearson), The Whipping-Post, page 109:

     “Strewth! Here she is,” said the salesman.

   • 1971 July 1, Michael O’Donnell, “Take to the hills”, in New Scientist, page 41:

     “Strewth,” he whistled. “I reckon that’s a complicated fracture of the right tibia.”

   • 2007, Marilys Edwards, Keep The Home Fires Burning, AuthorHouse, page 187:

     He smiles and is going to say something encouraging. Strewth! Why doesn’t he duck? His head’s above the parapet. He’s in the line of fire. Silly BUGGER! “CRACK!”

   • 2020, "Moments of Silence", in Taskmaster, series 10, episode 8, Channel 4, character scripts in The Smart Steak:

     Nicky: 'Helloooooo?' / Sam: 'Strewth. You gotta be kidding me.'

See also

• bleeding
• bloody
• cripes
• damn
• euphemism
• geez
• gosh
• ruddy
• zounds

Anagrams

• trewths