astonish English · revision 2152

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /əˈstɒnɪʃ/ ''(UK)''; /əˈstɑnɪʃ/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is an alteration of Middle English ''astonen'', ''astonien'',^(Barnhart 1995)^(AHD)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) [[bor|fro|estoner|t=to stun, daze]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) from Vulgar Latin ''*extonare'',^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) from [[la|ex|t=out]] and [[la|tonare|t=to thunder]].^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) The ending was probably reshaped after verbs in ''-ish'' such as ''abolish'', ''distinguish'' and ''diminish''.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ To stun or strike senseless (about 1300 as ''astonien'').^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The image is of leaving someone thunderstruck.^(Etymonline) The early senses were physical and violent: to stun or paralyse,^(OED 1989) to bewilder, and to dismay or terrify.^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate) The modern form appears in 1530.^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) The milder sense “to amaze, surprise greatly” is from 1611.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c1300 – ''astonien'', to stun.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1530 – ''astonish'', to stun or paralyse.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1535 – to dismay, terrify.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1611 – to amaze, surprise greatly.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To fill with sudden wonder or amazement.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(obsolete)'' To strike with sudden fear.^(MW Collegiate)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[astonishingly]]

+ * [[astonishedly]]

+ * [[astonisher]]

+ * [[astonishing]]

+ * [[astonishment]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[astound]]

+ * [[stun]]

+ * [[thunder]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}