stone the crows

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

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Interjection

stone the crows

1. (UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, 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

• (expression of surprise): holy cow, stone me