speechless en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- /ˈspiːt͡ʃ.lɪs/ (US)
Etymology
From Middle English specheles, from Old English sprǣċlēas (“speechless; without the power of speak”), from Proto-Germanic *sprēkalausaz, equivalent to speech + -less. Cognate with West Frisian sprakeleas (“speechless”), Dutch sprakeloos (“speechless”), German Low German spraaklos (“speechless”), German sprachlos (“speechless”).
Meanings
-
(not-comparable) Not speaking; not knowing what to say; silent, especially due to surprise, amazement, etc.; wordless.
The attack was so unwarranted and delivered with such venom that his unpreparedness for it left him speechless.
1966, James Workman, The Mad Emperor, Melbourne, Sydney: Scripts, page 62:When he walked into his surprise birthday party, he was completely speechless.
-
(archaic, not-comparable) Synonym of unspeakable.
Immortal Pleaſures round my ſwimming Eyes did dance, And ſpeechleſs Joys, in whoſe ſweet Tumult toſt, I thought my Breath, and my new Being loſt.
1690, John Dryden, The State of Innocence, and Fall of Man, J.M., page 14:O Mother Earth, O Sun that makest clean, What poison have I heard, what speechless sin !
1902, Gilbert Murray, Euripides, Longmans, Green, and co., page 32:
Deriveds
Synonyms
Translations (59)
es corchado (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · hu meg se tud mukkanni (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · pt atônito (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · cmn 無言 /无言 (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · hu szótlan (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · nb målløs (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · got 𐌳𐌿𐌼𐌱𐍃 (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · pl milczący (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · bg занемял (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · sa मूक (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · es enmudecido (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · pt sem palavras (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · eo senparola (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · af spraakloos (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · af sprakeloos (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · el άφωνος (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · is orðlaus (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · te నోరులేని (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · de stumm (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · nn mållaus (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · it ammutolito (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · hu eláll(t) a szava (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · cmn 無語 /无语 (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · la ēlinguis (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · hi निःशब्द (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · nl sprakeloos (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · nb mållaus (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · fi sanaton (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · cmn 沈默 (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · de sprachlos (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · ca emmudit (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · de fassungslos (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · pl oniemiały (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · ru онеме́вший (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · ru онеме́лый (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · es sin habla (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · pt estarrecido (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · ca bocabadat (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · fr sans voix (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · sv mållös (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · pt perplexo (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · es sin saber qué decir (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · da mundlam (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · id kelu (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · ru безмо́лвный (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · pt atónito (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · el ενεός (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · es sin palabras (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · th หมดคำพูด (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · es mudo (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · vi không biết nói gì (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · cmn 沉默 (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · da målløs (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · th พูดไม่ออก (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · el άναυδος (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · bg безмълвен (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · id kaku lidah (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · es atónito (not speaking; not knowing what to say) · it senza parole (not speaking; not knowing what to say)