A mild exclamation expressing surprise, frustration, or emphasis; a euphemism for a stronger oath.
Possibly an altered oath from 'Ah God!' or 'God!' created as a genteel substitute for more profane expressions. This euphemism emerged in the 17th century among educated speakers.
Egad is a linguistic time capsule showing how people in the 1600s tried to curse without actually cursing—basically the Victorian version of 'shoot!' or 'darn!'—proving every generation reinvents censorship.
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