Astonish
[ə'stɒnɪʃ] or [ə'stɑnɪʃ]
Definition
(v. t.) To stun; to render senseless, as by a blow.
(v. t.) To strike with sudden fear, terror, or wonder; to amaze; to surprise greatly, as with something unaccountable; to confound with some sudden emotion or passion.
Edited by Bryan
Synonyms and Synonymous
v. a. Amaze, surprise, astound, confound, shock, stagger, stupefy, stun, dumfounder, strike dumb, strike with wonder, petrify with wonder.
Edited by Barbie
Synonyms and Antonyms
SYN:Startle, surprise, confound, amaze, astound, fill_with_wonder, stupefy, alarm,terrify, electrify, scare, dumbfounder
ANT:Rally, encourage, assure, embolden
Typed by Laverne
Definition
v.t. to impress with sudden surprise or wonder: to amaze: (Shak.) to stun—older form Aston′y whence the p.adj. Aston′ied dazed bewildered greatly astonished.—Aston′ Astun′ Astoned′ Astunned′ are obsolete.—p.adj. Aston′ished amazed: (obs.) stunned.—adj. Aston′ishing very wonderful amazing.—adv. Aston′ishingly.—n. Aston′ishment amazement: wonder: a cause for astonishment.
Editor: Orville
Examples
- This could give him no fresh power that he did not already exercise, but it would be more splendid--it would astonish his mother. H. G. Wells. The Outline of History_Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind.
- You astonish me, Sir; he wos a clerk in a gov'ment office, sir. Charles Dickens. The Pickwick Papers.
- He had no wife to call in and astonish, so he rang the bell for his servant. Charles Dickens. The Pickwick Papers.
- Oh, I can tell you many things which would astonish you, but I cannot do so yet. Fergus Hume. The Island of Fantasy.
- You nurslings of Protestantism astonish me. Charlotte Bronte. Villette.
- Believe me, sweet, I could weep to a degree that would astonish and confound such an elastic mind as yours. Thomas Hardy. The Return of the Native.
- You astonish me, Mr. Holmes. Arthur Conan Doyle. The Return of Sherlock Holmes.
- The heart was thrilled, the mind astonished, by the power of the preacher: neither were softened. Charlotte Bronte. Jane Eyre.
- I am astonished. Fergus Hume. The Island of Fantasy.
- Mr. Bounderby looked more astonished than hospitable, at sight of this uninvited party in his dining-room. Charles Dickens. Hard Times.
- He at once threw himself on the astonished combatants, with his accustomed energy, and loudly called upon the bystanders to interpose. Charles Dickens. The Pickwick Papers.
- Penelope was astonished to find that Miss Clack had not called yet. Wilkie Collins. The Moonstone.
- Yes, my dear; why should you be astonished? Jane Austen. Mansfield Park.
- She was too astonished, too much taken by surprise, even to be afraid. D. H. Lawrence. Women in Love .
- Captain Marryatt writes: I do not know a spot on the globe which so much astonishes and delights upon first arrival as Madeira. Mark Twain. The Innocents Abroad.
- MY AUNT ASTONISHES ME I wrote to Agnes as soon as Dora and I were engaged. Charles Dickens. David Copperfield.
- You have always a good reason for your opinions, but this astonishes me. George Eliot. Middlemarch.
- When one thinks of it, how astonishing a variety of nature! Jane Austen. Mansfield Park.
- The most extraordinary thing about the man was, that he was contorting his face into the most fearful and astonishing grimaces that ever were beheld. Charles Dickens. The Pickwick Papers.
- An astonishing number of men always _are _getting disappointed there. Charles Dickens. The Pickwick Papers.
- When we were left alone in the stone-flagged kitchen, it was astonishing how rapidly that sprained ankle recovered. Arthur Conan Doyle. The Return of Sherlock Holmes.
- Of this edition, up to the present period (1858), the astonishing number of TWELVE MILLIONS OF SHEETS have been issued, the weight of which amounts to upwards of 335 tons! Frederick C. Bakewell. Great Facts.
- Waldman inflicted torture when he praised, with kindness and warmth, the astonishing progress I had made in the sciences. Mary Shelley. Frankenstein_Or_The Modern Prometheus.
- Under these circumstances it is not astonishing that many of the regiments broke at the first fire. Ulysses S. Grant. Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant.
Typist: Stanley