ppl. a. Forms: 3–6 agast, 6– aghast. [Pa. pple. of AGAST v. to frighten, affright. The fuller AGASTED is also found. Cf. roast (beef), roasted. The unetymological spelling with gh appears first in Scotch c. 1425 (probably influenced by ghast, ghaist, ghost); it became general after 1700.]
1. Affrighted, frightened, terrified. esp. in mod. usage, Seized with the visible or physical signs of terror or horror; struck with amazement. This change of meaning is due to misunderstanding the nature of the word, as if it were a-ghast, like a-sleep, a-float. Const. at (of obs.) the object, with (for obs.) the emotion. Rare and obs. with inf. and lest.
c. 1260. A Sarmun, in E. E. Poems (1862), 1. Wel mow we drede and be agast.
1382. Wyclif, Luke xxiv. 37. Thei, troublid and agast (v.r. agastid).
c. 1385. Chaucer, Leg. G. Wom., 1534. He was agast To love.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., VIII. xvi. 138. Ðe scottis men … Ware gretly in þare Hart aghast.
c. 1450. Lonelich, Grail, xii. 404. For of here lyves they were Agaste.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., ccxxxii. 251. He was agast lest it shold be ony preiudyce ayenst the pope.
1587. Holinshed, Chron., III. 916/2. Be not agast of your enemies.
1667. Milton, P. L., II. 616. With shuddring horror pale, and eyes agast.
1711. Greenwood, Eng. Gram., 276. A-gast, affrighted, as it were at the sight of a Ghost.
1783. Watson, Philip III. (1793), I. I. 17. The garrison stood aghast at this unforeseen disaster.
1846. Prescott, Ferd. & Isab., I. x. 427. Their countenances aghast with terror.
1866. Motley, Dutch Rep., III. ii. 385. The Bishop fell on his knees, aghast at the terrible decree.
¶ catachrestic. Ghastly. rare.
1850. Mrs. Browning, Poems, II. 161. Dead things that look aghast By the daylight.
