jumping Jesus

English

Interjection

jumping Jesus

1. (mildly blasphemous) Expression of shock or surprise; Jesus Christ.

   Jumping Jesus! I just won $500.

   • 1829, John MacTaggart, Three Years in Canada‎, volume I, page 210:

     He will guess as how we are pretty considerably damned clever, that we get along slick, and by the jumping Jesus, are not to be made wheelbarrows of.

   • 1968, Israel Horovitz, Indian Wants the Bronx‎, page 27:

     Oh, jumping Jesus Christ. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. Indians are dumb.

Usage notes

• Jesus may be replaced with another noun, though this is uncommon. Some of those encountered are Jehosaphat, Jews, Johnny, Jiminy Crickets, Jehovah's Witnesses and George Washington.

Synonyms

• See Thesaurus:wow