Dazed

/deɪzd/ adjective

Definition

Confused or stunned, unable to think clearly or react normally, often from shock, impact, or surprise.

Etymology

From 'daze,' which may come from Old Norse 'dasask' meaning 'to tire or exhaust,' or possibly from a Scandinavian source meaning 'to stun.' It entered English around the 14th century with the meaning of being bewildered or stunned.

Kelly Says

Medieval writers used 'daze' to describe the state of a person after a physical blow, but it's fascinating that the word originally meant 'exhaustion'—because being mentally confused IS kind of like your brain running out of energy trying to process something unexpected.

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