amaze

The story

1. Middle English · inherited fromamase
2. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*(s)meh₂-“to beckon, signal”
3. Old English · inherited fromāmasian“to confuse, astonish”
4. Middle English · inherited from*amasen, *amase“to bewilder, perplex”
5. English todayamaze

The verb is derived from Middle English *amasen, *amase (“to bewilder, perplex”) (attested chiefly in the past participle form, and thus often difficult to distinguish from amased (adjective)), from Old English āmasian (“to confuse, astonish”), from ā- (perfective prefix) + *masian (“to confound, confuse, perplex; to amaze”) (possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)meh₂- (“to beckon, signal”)). The English word is analysable as a- (intensifying prefix) + maze (“(archaic) to astonish, amaze, bewilder; to daze, stupefy”). The noun is derived from Late Middle English amase, from the verb: see above.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 16th c. To fill (someone) with surprise and wonder; to astonish, to astound, to surprise.
• Old English–18th c. To stun or stupefy (someone).
• 16th–17th To bewilder or perplex (someone or oneself).
• 16th–18th c. To fill (someone) with panic; to panic, to terrify.
• from 16th c. To experience amazement; to be astounded.
• from 16th c. Amazement, astonishment; (countable) an instance of this.
• from 16th c. Fear, terror.
• 15th–19th Stupefaction of the mind; bewilderment; (countable) an instance of this.