stap my vitals

English

Alternative forms

• stap me vitals

Etymology

Corruption of stop +‎ my +‎ vitals. Compare stap me.

Interjection

stap my vitals

1. (obsolete) An exclamation of surprise or anger, sometimes used as an oath.
   • 1845, William Hazlitt, Lectures on the English Comic Writers:

     You have married a woman beautiful in her person, charming in her airs, prudent in her conduct, constant in her inclinations, and of a nice morality - stap my vitals!

   • 1854, Tom Taylor, Charles Reade, Masks and Faces:

     The true Preux des Dames, (regretfully) went out with the full periwig, stap my vitals!

   • 1928, Virginia Woolf, Orlando:

     "Stap my vitals, Bill" (this was to Shakespeare), "there's a great wave coming and you're on the top of it".

   • 1934, PG Wodehouse, Right Ho, Jeeves:

     "Stap my vitals, Tuppy, old corpse," I said, concerned, "you're looking pretty blue round the rims."

   • 1995, Kenneth Robert, Boon Island:

     Stap my vitals Neal cried, and I knew he was quoting Otway.

Derived terms

• stap me