<Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Look up by jingo in Wiktionary, the free dictionary . </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Look up by jingo in Wiktionary, the free dictionary . </Td> </Tr> <P> The expression "by Jingo" is apparently a minced oath that appeared rarely in print, but which may be traced as far back as to at least the 17th century in a transparent euphemism for "by Jesus". The OED attests the first appearance in 1694, in an English edition of the works of François Rabelais as a translation for the French par Dieu! ("by God!"). </P>

We didn't want to fight but by jingo now we do