Astony

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /əˈstÉ’ni/

Alternative forms

• obsolete astonie

Origin

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

Full definition of astony

Verb

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.