Aghast

Aghast
Aghast A*ghast", a. & p. p. [OE. agast, agasted, p. p. of agasten to terrify, fr. AS. pref. [=a]- (cf. Goth. us-, G. er-, orig. meaning out) + g?stan to terrify, torment: cf. Goth. usgaisjan to terrify, primitively to fix, to root to the spot with terror; akin to L. haerere to stick fast, cling. See {Gaze}, {Hesitate}.] Terrified; struck with amazement; showing signs of terror or horror. [1913 Webster]

Aghast he waked; and, starting from his bed, Cold sweat in clammy drops his limbs o'erspread. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

The commissioners read and stood aghast. --Macaulay. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Aghast — A*ghast , v. t. See {Agast}, v. t. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Aghast — Allgemeine Informationen Genre(s) Dark Ambient Gründungsmitglieder Instrumente, Gesang …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • aghast — index speechless Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • aghast — (adj.) c.1300, agast, terrified, pp. of M.E. agasten to frighten (c.1200), from a intensive prefix + O.E. gæstan to terrify, from gæst spirit, ghost (see GHOST (Cf. ghost)). The gh spelling appeared early 15c. in Scottish and is possibly a… …   Etymology dictionary

  • aghast — [adj] horrified; very surprised afraid, agape, agog, alarmed, amazed, anxious, appalled, astonished, astounded, awestruck, confounded, dismayed, dumbfounded, frightened, horror struck, overwhelmed, shocked, startled, stunned, terrified,… …   New thesaurus

  • aghast — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ filled with horror or shock. ORIGIN from obsolete gast frighten ; spelling probably influenced by GHOST(Cf. ↑ghost) (compare with GHASTLY(Cf. ↑ghastly)) …   English terms dictionary

  • aghast — [ə gast′, əgäst′] adj. [ME agast, pp. of agasten, to terrify < a , intens. + gasten < OE gaestan, to terrify < gast, GHOST] feeling great horror or dismay; terrified; horrified …   English World dictionary

  • aghast — adj. aghast at (aghast at the very thought of going back to work) * * * [ə gɑːst] aghast at (aghast at the very thought of going back to work) …   Combinatory dictionary

  • aghast — a|ghast [əˈga:st US əˈgæst] adj [not before noun] written [Date: 1200 1300; Origin: From the past participle of aghast to frighten (13 16 centuries), from gast to frighten (11 17 centuries), from Old English gAstan] feeling or looking shocked by… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • aghast — [[t]əgɑ͟ːst, əgæ̱st[/t]] ADJ GRADED: ADJ after v, v link ADJ, oft ADJ at n, ADJ n If you are aghast, you are filled with horror and surprise. [FORMAL] While she watched, aghast, his eyes glazed over as his life flowed away... His colleagues were… …   English dictionary

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