v. Also 6 astonysshe. Aphetized in 7 to STONISH. [An alteration (not found before 1500) of earlier astony, as if this represented a F. *estonnir, estonissant. Perhaps such a form had arisen in Anglo-Fr.: Palsgrave has ‘astonysshyng, estonissement,’ Godefroy a ppl. adj. estoni.]
† 1. To deprive of sensation, as by a blow; to stun, paralyse, deaden, stupefy. Obs.
1530. Palsgr., 439/1. I astonysshe with a stroke upon the heed, Jestourdis.
1550. Dk. Somerset, in Coverdale, Spir. Perle (1588), Pref. A. iv b. Medicines that doth but astonishe the sore place.
1600. Holland, Livy, XLII. xv. 1124. The one smote the king upon the head, the other astonished his shoulder.
1616. Withals’ Dict., 597. A kind of fish that hath power to astonish the hands of them that take it, Torpedo.
1635. Pemble, Wks., 52. The Stoikes … did rather astonish than conquer them [i.e., desires and passions].
† b. To set the teeth on edge. Obs.
1656. Ridgley, Pract. Physic, 321. Teeth astonished. The cause is a sowre tast. The cure: Purslane chewed.
† 2. To stun mentally; to shock one out of his wits; to drive stupid, bewilder. Obs.
1530. Palsgr., 438/2. I astonysshe, I dull one, I take from him the quicknesse of his wytte.
1600. Holland, Livy, II. xii. 40. The king … as if he had been distracted, was almost astonished at the sight.
† 3. To shock one out of his self-possession, or confidence; to dismay, terrify. Obs.
1535. Coverdale, Jer. ii. 12. Be astonished (o ye heauens), be afrayde, and abashed at soch a thinge.
1601. Shaks., Jul. C., I. iii. 56. When the most mightie Gods, by tokens, send Such dreadfull Heraulds to astonish vs.
4. To give a shock of wonder by the presentation of something unlooked for or unaccountable; to amaze, surprise greatly.
1611. Bible, Matt. vii. 28. The people were astonished at his doctrine.
1653. Holcroft, Procopius, I. 7. Cabades … seeing it, was astonisht, and all the Persians with him.
1776–88. Gibbon, Decl. & F., xliv. (1813), VIII. 83. The Romans … astonished the Greeks by their sincere and simple performance of the most burthensome engagements.
1844. Macaulay, Chatham, Ess. (1852), 729. Weymouth had a natural eloquence, which sometimes astonished those who knew how little he owed to study.
