Dictionary

astonish en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /əˈstɑnɪʃ/ (General-American)
• /əˈstɒnɪʃ/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio

Etymology

Probably an alteration (due to words ending in -ish: abolish, banish, cherish, establish, furnish, etc.) of earlier astony, astone, astun (“to astonish, stun”), from Middle English astoneyen, astonen (“to stun, astonish”), variant of stonen, stoneyen (“to stun, astonish”) prefixed with a-. However, compare Old French estonir, a rare variant of estoner (“to stun, astonish”).

Meanings

1. To surprise greatly.
   • "I have no right to give my opinion," said Wickham, "as to his being agreeable or otherwise. I am not qualified to form one. I have known him too long and too well to be a fair judge. It is impossible for me to be impartial. But I believe your opinion of him would in general astonish — and perhaps you would not express it quite so strongly anywhere else. Here you are in your own family." 1813 January 27, [Jane Austen], Pride and Prejudice: […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC:

Forms

Deriveds

astonisht · astonishable · astonisher · reastonish · astonished · astonishedly · astonishment · astonishing

Synonyms

flabbergast · astony · surprise · astound · floor

Translations (55)

pl zdumiewać (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · pt surpreender (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · ru изуми́ть (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · io astonar (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · ru удиви́ть (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · gl anucir (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · cmn 震驚 /震惊 (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · ja 驚かす (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · mk вчудо́види (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · fr étonner (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · el εκπλήσσω (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · id mengesima (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · da forbavse (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · az heyrətləndimək (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · cs ohromit (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · it sorprendere (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · ar أَذْهَلَ (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · pl zdumieć (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · bg удивлявам (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · it stupire (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · pt pasmar (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · eo mirigi (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · fr surprendre (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · mr चकित (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · es asombrar (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · bg учудвам (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · eu estonatu (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · grc καταπλήσσω (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · sv förbluffa (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · gl anocer (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · es sorprender (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · fi ällistää (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · es pasmar (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · io surprizegar (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · uk дивувати (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · es anonadar (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · mk за́чуди (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · gl atordoar (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · mi whakaohomauri (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · ru изумля́ть (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · hu megdöbbent (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · de erstaunen (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · mi whakaohorere (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · gl abraiar (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · yi פֿאַרגאַפֿן (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · mr आश्चर्यचकित (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · uk вражати (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · az heyrətə salmaq (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · sv förvåna (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · fi hämmästyttää (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · ru удивля́ть (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · he הדהים (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · nrf êtonner (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · hu meglep (to surprise, astound, flabbergast) · nl verbazen (to surprise, astound, flabbergast)