astonish

The definition of astonish is to amaze someone.

(verb)

The effect a trapeze artist has on an audience is an example of astonish.

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See astonish in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb

to fill with sudden wonder or great surprise; amaze

Origin: altered < ME astonien < OFr estoner < VL *extonare (for L attonare) < ex-, intens. + tonare, to thunder

Related Forms:

See astonish in American Heritage Dictionary 4

transitive verb as·ton·ished, as·ton·ish·ing, as·ton·ish·es
To fill with sudden wonder or amazement. See Synonyms at surprise.

Origin:

Origin: Alteration of Middle English astonen

Origin: , from Old French estoner

Origin: , from Vulgar Latin *extonāre

Origin: : Latin ex-, ex-

Origin: + Latin tonāre, to thunder; see (s)tenə- in Indo-European roots

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Related Forms:

  • a·stonˈish·ing·ly adverb

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