different between flabbergaster vs flabbergast

English

Etymology

flabbergast +? -er

Noun

flabbergaster (plural flabbergasters)

1. A person, thing, fact or event that is flabbergasting, or that causes extreme shock.
   • 1917, Edward Livermore Burlingame, Robert Bridges, Alfred Dashiell, Scribner's Magazine (volume 61, page 143)

     Nothing on earth so delights the Mexican heart as a real flabbergaster of a funeral.

   • 2005, Jonathan Carroll, Outside the Dog Museum (Macmillan, page 197)

     This first flabbergaster was that the new Sultan had decided he wanted at least a third of the construction crew to be made up of Saruvian workers, even though the museum would be built in Austria.

2. A state of surprise or fear.

Verb

flabbergaster (third-person singular simple present flabbergasters, present participle flabbergastering, simple past and past participle flabbergastered)

1. (archaic) To perplex or amaze; to shock or frighten
   • 1888, Robert Smith Surtees, Hillingdon Hall, or, The cockney squire: a tale of country life (John C. Nimmo, page 155)

     But I've got an invention in my 'ead — at all events, the notion of an invention, that I ventures to say will work wonders in the terrestrial globe — flabbergaster the world!

References

English

Etymology

The origin of the verb is uncertain; possibly dialectal (Suffolk), from flabby or flap (“to strike”) + aghast. The word may be related to Scottish flabrigast (“to boast”) or flabrigastit (“worn out with exertion”).

The noun is derived from the verb.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?flæb?(?)???st/
• (General American) enPR: fl?b??r-g?st', IPA^(key): /?flæb???æst/
• Hyphenation: flab?ber?gast

Verb

flabbergast (third-person singular simple present flabbergasts, present participle flabbergasting, simple past flabbergasted, past participle flabbergasted or flabbergast)

1. (transitive) To overwhelm with bewilderment; to amaze, confound, or stun, especially in a ludicrous manner. [from late 18th c.]

   Synonyms: flabbergaster; see also Thesaurus:surprise

Alternative forms

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

flabbergast (countable and uncountable, plural flabbergasts)

1. (countable) An awkward person.

   Synonyms: dork, dweeb, geek; see also Thesaurus:dork

2. (uncountable) Overwhelming confusion, shock, or surprise.

   Synonyms: astonishment, astoundedness, awe, dumbfoundedness, flabbergaster, flabbergastation, flabbergastment, stupefaction; see also Thesaurus:confusion, Thesaurus:surprise

Alternative forms

Translations

References

Further reading

• John Ogilvie and Charles Annandale, editors (1883) The Imperial Dictionary of the English Language, new edition, London: Blackie and Son; New York, N.Y.: The Century Company, OCLC 1013401246, page 285.
• “FLABBERGAST, v.” in Joseph Wright, editor, The English Dialect Dictionary: […], volume II (D–G), London: Published by Henry Frowde, […], publisher to the English Dialect Society, […]; New York, N.Y.: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1900, ?OCLC, page 376, column 1.
• Chrysti the Wordsmith [pseudonym; Chrysti M. Smith] (2006) Verbivore’s Feast: Second Course: More Word & Phrase Origins, Helena, Mont.: Farcountry Press, ?ISBN, page 126.