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astonish

[uh-ston-ish]
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verb (used with object)
  1. 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
Related formsas·ton·ished·ly, adverbas·ton·ish·er, nounsu·per·as·ton·ish, verbun·as·ton·ished, adjective

Synonyms

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astound, startle, shock. See surprise.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

dumbfoundbewilderoverwhelmflabbergastshockastoundboggleconfoundamazestartledazestupefystunstaggerfloor

Examples from the Web for astonished

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • Mr. Gladstone attacked the bill with a power and vehemence which astonished the House.

    The Grand Old Man

    Richard B. Cook

  • Preparations which astonished the young guest already arrived.

  • I am not astonished, therefore, that I am not so well this month as last.

  • They were astonished and full of their surprise when their father came to his dinner.

    Rico and Wiseli

    Johanna Spyri

  • He was so astonished at what he saw that he slid behind the open door out of sight.

British Dictionary definitions for astonished

astonish

verb
  1. (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 Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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