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aghast

 - 3 dictionary results

a⋅ghast

  [uh-gast, uh-gahst]
–adjective
struck with overwhelming shock or amazement; filled with sudden fright or horror: They stood aghast at the sight of the plane crashing.
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Origin:
1225–75; ME agast frightened, ptp. of agasten, equiv. to a- a- 3 + gasten, OE gǣstan to frighten, earlier *gāstjan < Gmc causative *gaistjan; see ghost
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010.
Cite This Source Link To aghast
a·ghast   (ə-gāst')   
adj.  Struck by shock, terror, or amazement.

[Middle English agast, past participle of agasten, to frighten : a-, intensive pref. (from Old English ā-) + gasten, to frighten (from Old English gǣstan, from gāst, ghost).]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

aghast 
c.1260, agast, "terrified," pp. of M.E. agasten "to frighten," from a- intensive prefix + O.E. gæstan "to terrify," from gæst "spirit, ghost," The -gh- spelling appeared c.1425 in Scottish and is possibly a Flemish influence, or after ghost, etc. It became general after 1700.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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