astonish, v.
(əˈstɒnɪʃ)
Also 6 astonysshe. Aphetized in 7 to stonish.
[An alteration (not found before 1500) of earlier astony, as if this represented a F. *estonnir, estonissant. Perhaps such a form had arisen in Anglo-Fr.: Palsgrave has ‘astonysshyng, estonissement,’ Godefroy a ppl. adj. estoni.]
1. † a. To deprive of sensation, as by a blow; to stun, paralyse, deaden, stupefy. Obs.
| 1530 Palsgr. 439/1, I astonysshe with a stroke upon the heed, Jestourdis. 1550 Duke of Somerset in Coverdale Spir. Perle (1588) Pref. A. iv b, Medicines that doth but astonishe the sore place. 1600 Holland Livy xlii. xv. 1124 The one smote the king upon the head, the other astonished his shoulder. 1616 Withals' Dict. 597 A kind of fish that hath power to astonish the hands of them that take it, Torpedo. 1635 Pemble Wks. 52 The Stoikes..did rather astonish than conquer them [i.e. desires and passions]. |
† b. To set the teeth on edge. Obs.
| 1656 Ridgley Pract. Physic 321 Teeth astonished. The cause is a sowre tast. The cure: Purslane chewed. |
† 2. To stun mentally; to shock one out of his wits; to drive stupid, bewilder. Obs.
| 1530 Palsgr. 438/2, I astonysshe, I dull one, I take from him the quicknesse of his wytte. 1600 Holland Livy ii. xii. 40 The king..as if he had been distracted, was almost astonished at the sight. |
† 3. To shock one out of his self-possession, or confidence; to dismay, terrify. Obs.
| 1535 Coverdale Jer. ii. 12 Be astonished (o ye heauens), be afrayde, and abashed at soch a thinge. 1601 Shakes. Jul. C. i. iii. 56 When the most mightie Gods, by tokens, send Such dreadfull Heraulds to astonish vs. |
4. To give a shock of wonder by the presentation of something unlooked for or unaccountable; to amaze, surprise greatly. Also absol.
| 1611 Bible Matt. vii. 28 The people were astonished at his doctrine. 1653 Holcroft Procopius i. 7 Cabades..seeing it, was astonisht, and all the Persians with him. 1776–88 Gibbon Decl. & F. xliv. (1813) VIII. 83 The Romans..astonished the Greeks by their sincere and simple performance of the most burthensome engagements. 1844 Macaulay Chatham, Ess. (1852) 729 Weymouth had a natural eloquence, which sometimes astonished those who knew how little he owed to study. 1904 L. T. Meade Love Triumphant iii. i, There might come to you a knowledge which would astonish and terrify. |