astony

English

Alternative forms

• (obsolete) astonie

Etymology

From Middle English astonien, astunien, equivalent to a- +‎ stun. See also astone, astonish.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /əˈstɒni/

Verb

astony (third-person singular simple present astonies, present participle astonying, simple past and past participle astonied)

1. (archaic) To stun, paralyse, astound.
   • 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book I.14:

     eyther smote other soo that hors & man wente to the erthe, and so they lay long astonyed, & their hors knees brast to the hard bone.

   • 1526, Bible, tr. William Tyndale, Matthew VI:

     And it cam to passe, that when Jesus had ended these saynges, the peple were astonnied at his doctryne.

   • 1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essays, Folio Society 2006, p. 10:

     Verily the violence of a griefe, being extreme, must needs astonie the mind, and hinder the liberty of her actions.