astonish
[uh-ston-ish]
- to fill with sudden and overpowering surprise or wonder; amaze: Her easy humor and keen intellect astonished me.
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Origin of astonish
1525–35; Middle English astonyen, astonen, probably < dialectal Old French *astoner, Old French estoner < Vulgar Latin *extonāre, for Latin attonāre to strike with lightning, equivalent to ex- ex-1, at- at- + tonāre to thunder; extended by -ish2, perhaps reflecting Anglo-French *astonir < dialectal Old French
Synonyms
See more synonyms for astonish on Thesaurus.comastound, startle, shock. See surprise.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for astonished
Contemporary Examples
I was astonished by his work and very grateful that fate had thrown us together.
Robin Williams and Christopher Reeve's Epic Friendship and the Greatest Williams Story Ever ToldMarlow Stern
August 12, 2014
I was astonished at some of the figures you came up with, specifically about Jewish immigrants.
People were astonished by his impassioned speeches at separatist meetings.
The signed letter that Winnie got in return, thanking her for the present, was passed around the family with astonished reverence.
But what has astonished her this year, she says, is the firearm trend.
Historical Examples
Mr. Gladstone attacked the bill with a power and vehemence which astonished the House.
The Grand Old ManRichard B. Cook
Preparations which astonished the young guest already arrived.
Ester Ried Yet SpeakingIsabella Alden
I am not astonished, therefore, that I am not so well this month as last.
The Imaginary InvalidMolire
They were astonished and full of their surprise when their father came to his dinner.
Rico and WiseliJohanna Spyri
He was so astonished at what he saw that he slid behind the open door out of sight.
In the Midst of AlarmsRobert Barr
astonish
- (tr) to fill with amazement; surprise greatly
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Word Origin
C15: from earlier astonyen (see astonied), from Old French estoner, from Vulgar Latin extonāre (unattested) to strike with thunder, from Latin tonāre to thunder
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for astonished
astonish
v.
c.1300, astonien, from Old French estoner "to stun, daze, deafen, astound," from Vulgar Latin *extonare, from Latin ex- "out" + tonare "to thunder" (see thunder); so, literally "to leave someone thunderstruck." The modern form (influenced by English verbs in -ish, e.g. distinguish, diminish) is attested from c.1530.
No wonder is thogh that she were astoned [Chaucer, "Clerk's Tale"]
Related: Astonished; astonishing; astonishingly.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper