astonishment

Noun

astonishment (countable and uncountable, plural astonishments)

1. The feeling or experience of being astonished; great surprise.
   • The class looked on in astonishment as their teacher proceeded to tear the pages out of the textbook.
   • Thou in our wonder and astonishment
     Hast built thy self a live-long Monument.1630, John Milton, “On Shakespear” in Poems of Mr. John Milton, London: Ruth Raworth, 1645 p. 27

   Synonyms:

   amazement, stupefaction, wonder, wonderment

2. Something very surprising.
   • (colloquial)
   • To find Ned Silverton among the habitual frequenters of Mrs. Hatch’s drawing-room was one of Lily’s first astonishments;1905, Edith Wharton, The House of Mirth, New York: Scribner, Book 2, Chapter 9, p. 444

   Synonyms:

   marvel, stunner

3. (obsolete) Loss of physical sensation; inability to move a part of the body.
   • […] there followeth astonishment of the leg that is neere, that it can neither be stretched out right, nor he cannot go on his feet.1583, Philip Barrough, The Method of Phisicke, London: Thomas Vautroullier, Book 3, Chapter 37, p. 126
   • […] whosoever maketh water in the same place where a dog hath newly pissed, so as both vrines be mingled together, shall immediatly find a coldnesse and astonishment in his loines,1601, C[aius] Plinius Secundus [i.e., Pliny the Elder], “[Book XXIX.] 5.”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Historie of the World. Commonly Called, The Naturall Historie of C. Plinius Secundus. […]...

   Synonyms:

   paralysis, numbness

4. (obsolete) Loss of mental faculties, inability to think or use one's senses.
   • Thou hast shewed thy people hard things: thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Psalms 60:3
   • Upon the Stage he so charmed the people into astonishment with his babble, that he made them buy off amain his Drugs;1678, Aphra Behn, chapter 2, in The Lives of Sundry Notorious Villains, London: for the author, page 30

   Synonyms:

   stupor

5. (obsolete) Loss of composure or presence of mind.
   • […] where of his cruell rage
     Nigh dead with feare, and faint astonishment,
     Shee found them both in darkesome corner pent;1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto III”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, pages 35-36
   • […] as when a man ignorant of the Ceremonies of Court, comming into the presence of a greater Person than he is used to speak to, and stumbling at his entrance, to save himselfe from falling, lets slip his Cloake; to recover his Cloake, lets fall his Hat; and with one disorder after another...1651, Thomas Hobbes, chapter 46, in Leviathan, London: Andrew Crooke, page 374

   Synonyms:

   consternation, dismay