Question

astonish

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Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionaryas·ton·ish \ə-ˈstä-nish\ transitive verb ETYMOLOGY probably from earlier astony (from Middle English astonen, astonien, from Anglo-French estoner to stun, from Vulgar Latin *extonare, from Latin ex- + tonare to thunder) + -ish (as in abolish) — more at thunder DATE circa 15341. obsolete : to strike with sudden fear2. to strike with sudden and usually great wonder or surprise was too astonished to speakSynonyms: see surpriseEnglish Etymologyastonish mid-14c., astonien, from O.Frhttp://O.Fr. estoner "to stun, daze, deafen, astound," from V.L. *extonare, from L. ex- "out" + tonare "to thunder" (see thunder); so, lit. "to leave someone thunderstruck." The modern form (influenced by English verbs in -ish, e.g.distinguish, diminish) is attested from c.1530. Related: Astonishment. "No wonder is thogh that she were astoned" [Chaucer, "Clerk's Tale"] Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary-牛津双解-OALD7astonishas·ton·ish / E5stCniF; NAmE E5stB:n- / verb to surprise sb very much 使十分惊讶；使大为惊奇；使吃惊 SYN amaze ⇨ note at surprise : ▪ [VN] The news astonished everyone. 这消息使大家十分惊讶。 She astonished us by saying she was leaving. 她说她要离开,令我们大为惊奇。 ▪ [VN (that)] It astonishes me (that) he could be so thoughtless. 我真没有料到他会如此轻率。 OLTastonish verb⇨ surpriseWebster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridgedas·ton·ish\əˈstänish, -ēsh, esp in pres part -əsh\ transitive verb(-ed/-ing/-es)Etymology: probably from astony + -ish (as in abolish)1. obsolete : to render senseless (as by a blow) : stun, paralyze, deaden < enough, Captain; you have astonished him — Shakespeare >2. obsolete : to stupefy the mind of : bewilder, daze, confuse < had his wits astonished with sorrow — Philip Sidney > < blind, astonished, and struck with superstition as with a planet — John Milton >3. obsolete : to strike with sudden fear or dismay < that with the very shaking of their chains they may astonishthese fell-lurking curs — Shakespeare >4. : to strike with a sudden sense of surprise or wonder especially through something unexpected or difficult to accept as true or reasonable : surprise greatly : amaze < was astonished to find a thick forest where in 1915 I had mowed thick grass with a scythe — S.H.Holbrook > < astonished by the vastness and majesty of the cathedral > < a gross desire to astonish his friends with his sudden wealth > < the customs of non-European groups were treated as curios with which to astonish the uninformed — Ralph Linton >Synonyms: see surprise

To Astonish Sudden From Obsolete Strike Surprise Astonished