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stone the crows. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
stone the crows, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
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English
Etymology
Originally Australian English of 1910s, "referring to the former occupation of watching over cornfields and stoning crows that attempt to plunder the crop."
Pronunciation
Interjection
stone the crows
- (UK, Australia, colloquial) Generalized expression of surprise or amazement, or just for emphasis.
1924, C. J. Dennis, “Rose Of Spadgers”, in Sentimental Bloke and Other Verses, published 1988, page 86:“Why, stone the crows! I′ll look yous up,” sez ′e. / “I need some friends: I ain′t got wife nor chick.”
1971, Richard Carpenter, Catweazle and the Magic Zodiac, Harmondsworth: Puffin Books, page 141:The he pinched himself to make sure he was really awake, "Stone the crows!" he said softly. "Stone the crows!"
1988, Janette Turner Hospital, Charades, page 63:So I says to meself: stone the crows, I′m a doomed man, might as well shoot through. It was cyclone time, see, and there′s been flash floods and this rock as big as a house has gone.
2008, Norman Jorgensen, Jack′s Island, ReadHowYouWant, published 2011, page 170:‘Stone the crows,’ I whispered in sheer relief.
Usage notes
May be used in combination with similar idiomatic expressions, as: stone the crows and pickle the lizards.
Synonyms
References
- ^ James Lambert The Macquarie Book of Slang (Sydney: Macquarie Library) 1996.