[-ING2.]
1. That stuns or stupefies; dazing, astounding; deafening.
1667. Milton, P. L., II. 952. A universal hubbub wilde Of stunning sounds and voices all confus’d.
1702. C. Mather, Magn. Chr., VII. vi. (1852), 578. But the Stunningest wound of all given to them was when … near four hundred of them were … surprised at the house of Major Waldern.
1760. Mrs. Delany, Autobiog. (1861), III. 614. The Rooms hot and stunning—I wish for balls as the quieter entertainment!
1818. Scott, Rob Roy, xxxvi. My father’s arrival … was a stunning blow to MacVittie and Company.
1863. Reade, Hard Cash, I. ix. 249. The victorious crew raised a stunning cheer.
1911. J. Stalker, in Expositor, July, 61. His besetting sins received a stunning stroke.
2. colloq. Excellent, first-rate, ‘splendid,’ delightful; extremely attractive or good-looking.
1849–50. Dickens, Dav. Copp., xi. ‘Twopence-half-penny,’ says the landlord, ‘is the price of the Genuine Stunning ale.’
1850. Thackeray, Pendennis, xxxix. Those regular stunning slap-up out-and-outers.
1856. F. E. Paget, Owlet of Owlst., 193. Laura Wydawake is the most stunning girl I ever set my eyes on.
1867. Trollope, Last Chron. Barset, I. xl. 346. Fancy Polly with a house of her own! Won’t it be stunning?
1883. Frances M. Peard, Contrad., xxiii. The new footman is a stunning hand.
b. quasi-adv. (intensifying the following adj.).
1851. Mayhew, Lond. Labour, I. 36/2. A lad about fourteen informed me that ‘brass buttons, like a huntman’s … looked stunning flash.’
1888. ‘R. Boldrewood,’ Robbery under Arms, xxiv. The old woman cooked us a stunning good dinner.
Hence Stunningly adv.
1823. Scott, Quentin D., xx. The noise … became ten times more stunningly audible.
1854. Dickens, Hard T., II. i. Is the lady so very alarming?… Repellently and stunningly clever?
1863. Geo. Eliot, Romola, lxvii. Shouting, yelling, half-motiveless execration rang stunningly in his ears.
1889. Temple Bar, Nov., 351. A pain that would have been fierce had it not been so stunningly dull.
