aghast, ppl. a.
(əˈgɑːst, -æ-)
Forms: 3–6 agast, 6– aghast.
[Pa. pple. of agast v. to frighten, affright. The fuller agasted is also found. Cf. roast (beef), roasted. The unetymological spelling with gh appears first in Scotch c 1425 (probably influenced by ghast, ghaist, ghost); it became general after 1700.]
1. Affrighted, frightened, terrified. esp. in mod. usage, Seized with the visible or physical signs of terror or horror; struck with amazement. This change of meaning is due to misunderstanding the nature of the word, as if it were a-ghast, like a-sleep, a-float. Const. at (of obs.) the object, with (for obs.) the emotion. Rare and obs. with inf. and lest.
| c 1260 A Sarmun in E.E.P. (1862) 1 Wel mow we drede and be agast. 1382 Wyclif Luke xxiv. 37 Thei, troublid and agast (v.r. agastid). c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 1534 He was agast To love. c 1425 Wyntown Cron. viii. xvi. 138 Ðe scottis men..Ware gretly in þare Hart aghast. c 1450 Lonelich Grail xii. 404 For of here lyves they were Agaste. 1480 Caxton Chron. Eng. ccxxxii. 251 He was agast lest it shold be ony preiudyce ayenst the pope. 1587 Holins. Chron. iii. 916/2 Be not agast of your enemies. 1667 Milton P.L. ii. 616 With shuddring horror pale, and eyes agast. 1711 Greenwood Eng. Gram. 276 A-gast, affrighted, as it were at the sight of a Ghost. 1783 Watson Philip III, (1793) I. i. 17 The garrison stood aghast at this unforeseen disaster. 1846 Prescott Ferd. & Isab. I. x. 427 Their countenances aghast with terror. 1866 Motley Dutch Rep. iii. ii. 385 The Bishop fell on his knees, aghast at the terrible decree. |
¶ catachr. Ghastly. rare.
| 1850 Mrs. Browning Poems II. 161 Dead things that look aghast By the daylight. |