amaze

present singular third person amazes · participle present amazing · participle past amazed · past amazed · first person past singular amazed · archaic present second person singular amazest · past second person singular amazed · archaic past second person singular amazedst · present singular third person amazes · archaic present singular third person amazeth · past singular third person amazed · past plural amazed · past subjunctive amazed · participle present amazing · participle past amazed

1. transitiveTo fill (someone) with surprise and wonder; to astonish, to astound, to surprise.First known use 16th c.

   He was amazed when he found that the girl was a robot.

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   And all the people were amazed, and ſaid, Is this the ſonne of Dauid?

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 12:23, column 1

   Spain has long fallen from amazing Europe vvith her vvit, to amuſing them vvith the greatneſs of her catholic credulity.

   1759, [Oliver Goldsmith], “Of the Present State of Polite Learning in Italy”, in An Enquiry into the Present State of Polite Learning in Europe, London: […] R[obert] and J[ames] Dodsley, […], →OCLC, page 64

   One of the most remarkable speeches of that day was made by a young man, whose eccentric career was destined to amaze Europe. This was Charles Mordaunt, Viscount Mordaunt, widely renowned, many years later, as Earl of Peterborough.

   1849, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter VI, in The History of England from the Accession of James II, volume II, London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC, page 33

   Rachel was amazed. For one thing it amazed her to hear [William Makepeace] Thackeray called second-rate; and then she could not widen her point of view to believe that there could be great writers in existence at the present day, […]

   1915, Virginia Woolf, chapter XVI, in The Voyage Out, London: Duckworth & Co., […], →OCLC, page 263

2. obsoletetransitiveTo stun or stupefy (someone).First known use Old English–18th c.

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   Inſtead of thinking hovv to remedy this diſorder by rallying ſuch troops as fled, or by oppoſing freſh troops to ſtop the progreſs of the conquerors, being totally amazed by this firſt blovv, he [Pompey] returned to the camp, and in his tent, vvaited the iſſue of an event, vvhich it vvas his duty to direct, not to follovv: […]

   1769, [Oliver] Goldsmith, “From the Beginning of the First Triumvirate to the Death of Pompey”, in The Roman History, from the Foundation of the City of Rome, to the Destruction of the Western Empire. […], volume I, London: […] S. Baker and G. Leigh, […]; T[homas] Davies, […]; and L. Davis, […], →OCLC, page 479

3. alsoobsoletereflexivetransitiveTo bewilder or perplex (someone or oneself).First known use 16th–17th

   The many musits thought the which he goes / Are like a labyrinth to amaze his foes.

   1593, [William Shakespeare], Venus and Adonis, London: […] Richard Field, […], →OCLC, [verse 114], lines [683–684]; republished as Shakespeare’s Venus & Adonis: […], London: J[oseph] M[alaby] Dent and Co. […], 1896, →OCLC, verse 114, page 41, lines 683–684

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   [T]heir [flies'] breeding is ſo various and vvonderful, that I might eaſily amaze my ſelf, and tire you in a relation of them.

   1653, Iz[aak] Wa[lton], chapter IV, in The Compleat Angler or The Contemplative Man’s Recreation. Being a Discourse of Fish and Fishing, […], London: […] T. Maxey for Rich[ard] Marriot, […], →OCLC; reprinted as The Compleat Angler (Homo Ludens; 6), Nieuwkoop, South Holland, Netherlands: Miland Publishers, 1969, →ISBN, page 98

4. obsoletepoetictransitiveTo fill (someone) with panic; to panic, to terrify.First known use 16th–18th c.

   It [fear] amaſeth many men that are to ſpeake, or ſhevv themſelues in publike aſſemblies, or before ſome great personages, […]

   1621, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], “Feare”, in The Anatomy of Melancholy, […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and Iames Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition 1, section 2, member 3, subsection 5, page 132

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   Novv you muſt bee ſure […] to carry the point or top of the Rod dovvnevvard; by vvhich meanes the ſhadovv of your ſelfe, and Rod too vvill be the leaſt offenſive to the Fiſh, for the ſight of any ſhadovv amazes the fiſh, and ſpoiles your ſport, of vvhich you muſt take a great care.

   1653, Iz[aak] Wa[lton], chapter IV, in The Compleat Angler or The Contemplative Man’s Recreation. Being a Discourse of Fish and Fishing, […], London: […] T. Maxey for Rich[ard] Marriot, […], →OCLC; reprinted as The Compleat Angler (Homo Ludens; 6), Nieuwkoop, South Holland, Netherlands: Miland Publishers, 1969, →ISBN, page 109

5. archaicintransitiveTo experience amazement; to be astounded.First known use 16th c.

   Pealing rays and trumpet-blazes,— / Eye is blinded, ear amazes: […]

   1871, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, translated by Bayard Taylor, Faust: A Tragedy. […] The Second Part. […], 11th edition, Boston, Mass.; New York, N.Y.: Houghton, Mifflin and Company […], →OCLC, act I, scene i, page 5

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   Madam amaze not, ſee his Maieſtie / Returnd vvith glory from the holy land.

   1593, [George Peele], The Famous Chronicle of King Edward the First, […], London: […] Abell Ieffes, and are to be solde by William Barley, […], →OCLC, signature A3, recto

plural amazes

1. archaicuncountableexcept poeticAmazement, astonishment; (countable) an instance of this.First known use 16th c.

   VVhy, I am all in Amaze: I muſt ſit dovvn.

   1741, [Samuel Richardson], “Letter XXIV”, in Pamela: Or, Virtue Rewarded. […], 3rd edition, volume I, London: […] C[harles] Rivington, […]; and J. Osborn, […], →OCLC, page 64

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   All in amaze he ſuddenly vp ſtart / VVith ſvvord in hand, and vvith the old man vvent; […]

   1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto II”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 6, page 20

   His faces ovvn margent did coate ſuch amazes, / That all eyes ſavv his eyes inchaunted vvith gazes.

   c. 1595–1596 (date written), W. Shakespere [i.e., William Shakespeare], A Pleasant Conceited Comedie Called, Loues Labors Lost. […] (First Quarto), London: […] W[illiam] W[hite] for Cut[h]bert Burby, published 1598, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i]

   Presently, however, as we stood in amaze, gazing at the marvellous sight, and wondering whence the rosy radiance flowed, a dread and beautiful thing happened.

   1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, “The Spirit of Life”, in She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887, →OCLC, page 287

   Shattuck looked at him in amaze. "Why, of course and welcome. What do you mean?" His tone was surprised and wounded, but pacific.

   1891, Charles Egbert Craddock [pseudonym; Mary Noailles Murfree], chapter VIII, in In the “Stranger People’s” Country […], New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], →OCLC, page 175

   While the world did gaze, in deep amaze, at those fearless men but few. Who bore the fight that freedom's light might shine through the foggy dew.

   c. 1919, “The Foggy Dew” (track 3), in The Long Black Veil, performed by The Chieftains and Sinéad O'Connor, published 1995

2. archaicuncountableFear, terror.First known use 16th c.

   [T]he whole rout was in amaze; his Lordſhip turned all manner of colours, my Lady fell into a ſwoon; […]

   1766, [Oliver Goldsmith], “The Family still Resolve to Hold Up Their Heads”, in The Vicar of Wakefield: […], volume I, Salisbury, Wiltshire: […] B. Collins, for F[rancis] Newbery, […], →OCLC, page 103

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   He passed over Dor-nu-Fauglith like a wind amid the dust, and all that beheld his onset fled in amaze, thinking Oromë himself was come: for a great madness of rage was upon him, so that his eyes shone like the eyes of the Valar.

   a. 1974 (date written), J[ohn] R[onald] R[euel] Tolkien, “Quenta Silmarillion: The History of the Silmarils. Chapter XVIII. Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin.”, in Christopher Tolkien, editor, The Silmarillion, 1st American edition, Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin Company, published 15 September 1977, →ISBN, page 153

   Synonyms: amazement

3. obsoleteuncountableStupefaction of the mind; bewilderment; (countable) an instance of this.First known use 15th–19th

   [T]he panicles or thin skins [of a horse] vvhich cleauing to the bones, doe couer the vvhole braine, are ſubiect to headache, mygram [migrane], dizineſſe, and amazes; […]

   1610, Gervase Markham, “Of the Diseases in the Head”, in Markhams Maister-peece. Or, What doth a Horse-man Lacke. Containing All Possible Knowledge whatsoeuer which doth Belong to any Smith, Farrier, or Horse-leech, Touching the Curing of All Manner of Diseases or Sorrances in Horses; […], London: […] Nicholas Okes, and are to be sold by Arthur Iohnson, […], →OCLC, 1st book (Containing All Cures Physicall, […]), page 57

   Synonyms: amazement

comparative more amaze · superlative most amaze

1. abbreviationclippingslangClipping of amazing.

   As incredibly amaze the aftermath in FFoD was, it would have been nice to see the post-Unicron battle for Cybertron.

   1998 September 17, JLva...@my-dejanews.com, “Re: Best TF action sequences ever!?”, in alt.toys.transformers.classic.moderated (Usenet)

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   Khloe pouted. “You have to see him before riding. This outfit is so amaze. You look cute in breeches, too, but I want Drew to see you in this outfit. Like, now!”

   2012, Jessica Burkhart, Popular, Aladdin M!X, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division, →ISBN, page 115

   Synonyms: amazeballs