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Synonyms
astonish - 4 dictionary results
as⋅ton⋅ish
[uh-ston-ish]
–verb (used with object)
| to fill with sudden and overpowering surprise or wonder; amaze: Her easy humor and keen intellect astonished me. |
Origin:
1525–35; ME astonyen, astonen, prob. < dial. OF *astoner, OF estoner < VL *extonāre, for L attonāre to strike with lightning, equiv. to ex- ex- 1 , at- at- + tonāre to thunder; extended by -ish 2 , perh. reflecting AF *astonir < dial. OF
1525–35; ME astonyen, astonen, prob. < dial. OF *astoner, OF estoner < VL *extonāre, for L attonāre to strike with lightning, equiv. to ex- ex- 1 , at- at- + tonāre to thunder; extended by -ish 2 , perh. reflecting AF *astonir < dial. OF

Related forms:
as⋅ton⋅ished⋅ly, adverb
as⋅ton⋅ish⋅er, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Link To astonish
a·ston·ish (ə-stŏn'ĭsh) tr.v. as·ton·ished, as·ton·ish·ing, as·ton·ish·es To fill with sudden wonder or amazement. See Synonyms at surprise. [Alteration of Middle English astonen, from Old French estoner, from Vulgar Latin *extonāre : Latin ex-, ex- + Latin tonāre, to thunder; see (s)tenə- in Indo-European roots.] a·ston'ish·ing·ly adv. |
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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Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Astonish
As*ton"ish\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Astonished; p. pr. & vb. n. Astonishing.] [OE. astonien, astunian, astonen, OF. estoner, F. ['e]tonner, fr. L. ex out + tonare to thunder, but perhaps influenced by E. stun. See Thunder, Astound, Astony.]1. To stun; to render senseless, as by a blow. [Obs.] Enough, captain; you have astonished him. [Fluellen had struck Pistol]. --Shak. The very cramp-fish [i. e., torpedo] . . . being herself not benumbed, is able to astonish others. --Holland. 2. To strike with sudden fear, terror, or wonder; to amaze; to surprise greatly, as with something unaccountable; to confound with some sudden emotion or passion. Musidorus . . . had his wits astonished with sorrow. --Sidney. I, Daniel . . . was astonished at the vision. --Dan. viii. 27. Syn: To amaze; astound; overwhelm; surprise. Usage: Astonished, Surprised. We are surprised at what is unexpected. We are astonished at what is above or beyond our comprehension. We are taken by surprise. We are struck with astonishment. --C. J. Smith. See Amaze.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : astonish
Spanish:
asombrar, sorprender, pasmar,
German:
erstaunen,
Japanese:
驚かせる
astonish
1340, astonien, from O.Fr. estoner "to stun," from V.L. *extonare, from L. ex- "out" + tonare "to thunder" (see thunder); so, lit. "to leave someone thunderstruck." The modern form (infl. by Eng. verbs in -ish, e.g. distinguish, diminish) is attested from c.1530.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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