different between nonplus vs astonish

English

Etymology

From Latin n?n pl?s (“no more, no further”)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /n?n?pl?s/

Noun

nonplus (plural nonpluses)

1. A state of perplexity or bewilderment.
   • Both of them are a perfect non-plus and baffle to all human understanding.

Verb

nonplus (third-person singular simple present nonplusses or nonpluses, present participle nonplussing or nonplusing, simple past and past participle nonplussed or nonplused)

1. (transitive) to perplex or bewilder someone; to confound or flummox

Derived terms

• nonplussed

Translations

English

Etymology

From an alteration (due to words ending in -ish: abolish, banish, cherish, establish, furnish, etc.) of earlier astony, astone, aston, astun (“to astonish, confound, stun”), from Middle English astonien, astunien, astonen, astunen, astounen (“to astound, stun, astonish”), of uncertain origin, possibly from Old English *?stunian, from ?- (perfective prefix) + stunian (“to make a loud sound, crash, resound, roar, bang, dash, impinge, knock, confound, astonish, stupefy”), from Proto-Germanic *stun?n? (“to sound, crash, bang, groan”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ten-, *(s)ton- (“to thunder, roar, groan”), equivalent to a- +? stun. Compare German erstaunen (“to astonish, amaze”). Another possible source, or else influence, is Old French estoner, estuner, estonuer, estonner (“to stun”), either from an assumed Vulgar Latin *extonare (“to strike with thunder, daze, stupefy, stun”) from Late Latin *extono (ex +? tono), or from Old Frankish *stunen (“to stun”), related to Middle High German stunen (“to knock, strike, stun”) and then, if not the source, still a cognate of the word astonish.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /??st?n??/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /??st?n??/
• Hyphenation: as?ton?ish

Verb

astonish (third-person singular simple present astonishes, present participle astonishing, simple past and past participle astonished)

1. To surprise greatly.
   • 1813, Jane Austen. Pride and Prejudice:

     "I have no right to give my opinion," said Wickham, "as to his being agreeable or otherwise. I am not qualified to form one. I have known him too long and too well to be a fair judge. It is impossible for me to be impartial. But I believe your opinion of him would in general astonish — and perhaps you would not express it quite so strongly anywhere else. Here you are in your own family."

Synonyms

• (to surprise): astound, flabbergast, surprise

Derived terms

Translations