To shock or greatly surprise someone; to overwhelm with amazement or wonder. To cause someone to feel sudden and intense surprise or bewilderment.
From Middle English 'astouned,' from Old French 'estoner' meaning 'to stun,' from Latin 'ex-' (out) + 'tonare' (to thunder). Originally meant to stun as if struck by thunder, later softened to mean amazing or surprising.
Think 'a-SOUND' — something so surprising it hits you like a thunderclap. The original meaning was literally being stunned by thunder, so astounding news strikes you like a bolt from the blue.
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