1. Word finder
  2. Word definitions
  3. astonish

Find the word definition

What is "astonish"

Crossword clues for astonish

astonish
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
astonish
verb
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ ADVERB
how
▪ He plunged it into a dish of lavender essence and was astonished how quickly the burn healed.
▪ It is astonishing how quickly sailors return to their habitat.
▪ I was astonished how fast the game has become since the back pass rule has changed.
▪ It was astonishing how quickly time passed now that I wanted it to slow down.
▪ Once again Charles was astonished how easily Malcolm would fall for the oldest cons in the business.
▪ How astonished would Polly's parents have been had they returned at this point.
more
▪ And even more astonished he went back to la Sologne - not just physically but emotionally.
▪ But what is still more astonishing is that what goes for individuals goes for governments too.
▪ Nothing, however, was more astonishing than the speed with which all of it was built.
▪ But it demonstrates something much more astonishing: that in a sense all matter is illusion!
▪ Even more astonishing, the number of 10-meter bodies in Earth-crossing orbits is roughly a hundred million!
most
▪ The most astonishing thing about this object is its antiquity.
▪ Perhaps the most astonishing finding was that the effects seemed to endure after the training stopped.
▪ The last of these is the most astonishing.
▪ I looked up to see a most astonishing creature.
so
▪ The police were so astonished they put away their truncheons and led the small man away.
▪ So astonishing are the anecdotes, so bizarre the characters, that eventually the reader has to suspend a truckload of disbelief.
▪ I suppose the main reason was that I was so astonished to find that they existed at all.
when
▪ I was astonished when we began walking down the now weed-strewn path to feel a familiar feeling of fear and expectation.
▪ They were astonished when they found that he was a lad of no more than seventeen.
▪ I was duly astonished when Harley asked for his putter and sent Derek Jefferson ahead to hold the flag.
▪ They say Mind presumed an inquiry would involve the families and those advising them and we were astonished when it did not.
▪ I was frankly astonished when this gentleman was ennobled.
■ VERB
seem
▪ I ask Beate whether she hates the boys, and she seems astonished by the question.
▪ That we made it through Taos without being apprehended seems astonishing.
▪ Our parents seem astonished that we tend to question authority.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
▪ Einstein's work still astonishes physicists.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
▪ Stan has now rediscovered the fish bed and is currently preparing new specimens to astonish and delight the world.
▪ Though depleted by robbery in Thrace on the way home, Vulso's loot astonished the Romans for its size and quality.
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Astonish

Astonish \As*ton"ish\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Astonished; p. pr. & vb. n. Astonishing.] [OE. astonien, astunian, astonen, OF. estoner, F. ['e]tonner, fr. L. ex out + tonare to thunder, but perhaps influenced by E. stun. See Thunder, Astound, Astony.]

  1. To stun; to render senseless, as by a blow. [Obs.]

    Enough, captain; you have astonished him. [Fluellen had struck Pistol].
    --Shak.

    The very cramp-fish [i. e., torpedo] . . . being herself not benumbed, is able to astonish others.
    --Holland.

  2. 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.

    Musidorus . . . had his wits astonished with sorrow.
    --Sidney.

    I, Daniel . . . was astonished at the vision.
    --Dan. viii. 27.

    Syn: To amaze; astound; overwhelm; surprise.

    Usage: Astonished, Surprised. We are surprised at what is unexpected. We are astonished at what is above or beyond our comprehension. We are taken by surprise. We are struck with astonishment.
    --C. J. Smith. See Amaze.

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
astonish

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, such as distinguish, diminish) is attested from c.1530.\n\nNo wonder is thogh that she were astoned

[Chaucer, "Clerk's Tale"]

\nRelated: Astonished; astonishing; astonishingly.\n
Wiktionary
astonish

vb. surprise, flabbergast

WordNet
astonish

v. affect with wonder; "Your ability to speak six languages amazes me!" [syn: amaze, astound]

Usage examples of "astonish".

And more than this, read nine of these cases, which he has published, as I have just done, and observe the absolute nullity of aconite, belladonna, and bryonia, against the symptoms over which they are pretended to exert such palpable, such obvious, such astonishing influences.

In return, she spewed me some trifles with which I was well acquainted, but which I pretended to think very astonishing.

I knew that the countess was acquainted with you, but I should never have thought that her name by itself could have such an astonishing effect.

Camille had no other lovers--an astonishing thing in an actress of the kind, but being full of tact and wit she drove none of her admirers to despair.

I dare say if those letters had ever reached their addressees, some of them would have been every bit as astonished as Lubov was and just about as likely to welcome their assignments.

He also related almost all the adventures that Sancho had recounted, which both astonished them and made them laugh, for they thought what everyone thought: it was the strangest kind of madness that had ever afflicted an irrational mind.

Astonished, Alec craned his neck for a better look at this Micum Cavish.

These two Bacchantes began to imitate the caresses I lavished on my housekeeper, who was quite astonished at the amorous fury with which my attendant played the part of a man with the other girl.

Kowalski, with a keenness which Asch and Wedelmann found quite astonishing.

She was scarcely out of the room before I was in despair at not having followed the inclination of my nature, and, astonished at the fact that Bettina could do to me all she was in the habit of doing without feeling any excitement from it, while I could hardly refrain from pushing my attacks further, I would every day determine to change my way of acting.

I am astonished that love, which is not a disease, should have made you ill, and that it should have exactly the opposite effect upon me.

Lucrezia was astonished and delighted, and covered us both with kisses.

I was only astonished that the cardinal had so readily accepted my choice.

My excellent appetite astonished him, and he enquired whether I had dined.

Her husband, captain of a galley, had come to Corfu with her the year before, and madam had greatly astonished all the naval officers.