Wednesday, April 20, 2005
Main Entry: as·ton·ish
Pronunciation: &-'stä-nish
Function: transitive verb
Etymology: probably from earlier astony (from Middle English astonen, astonien, from Old French estoner, from -- assumed -- Vulgar Latin extonare, from Latin ex- + tonare to thunder) + -ish (as in abolish) -- more at THUNDER1 obsolete : to strike with sudden fear
2 : to strike with sudden and usually great wonder or surprise
synonym see SURPRISE
(I am going to savor this word for a little awhile before writing about...how 'bout sitting back and savoring it with me??)
Some of you may finally be at the point of realizing that I love words....to me they are the lifeline of humanity. They are the tethers that help us all relate our lives to those that have gone before, to those happening now and to those that may happen in the future. For me, the dictionary is a fun place; not because I like looking up the words, but because of where the definitions lead to. I am always amazed at what I think I know about a word and what it truly means.
Astonish is one of those words. I had always thought of it as a nice word, a kind word but in reality it is more of a jack hammer word. It slams into your world with thunder and fury. Who knew?
Fear is not a word I would have ever used in the context with the word astonish.
Fear is not usually a positive word and yet I find it here:
1 obsolete : to strike with sudden fear
hum.....
For a moment I wonder if we, as a creation, astonish God.
Or are we exactly what He expected?
People can spend a lifetime pondering these sorts of questions.
Am I alone in this love of juicy words?
Does anyone else adore them so much that Webster's online dictionary is saved in their favorites, not for the spell check but for the definitions?
I can't spell well enough for it to be helpful, I mean to check out the spelling you have to get kinda close to the REAL spelling of a word...but oh how I adore a juicy meaning.
Not an especially deep entry, or is it?
ckays1967 at 8:53:00 PM PDT Link to this entry
January 15th
One year ago today I began to eat differently. It is called the Ketogenic diet and the information is out there for free ...
This entry has 8 comments: (Add your own)
ReplyDeleteI love words, also. They have a life of their own. They define and give meaning to our lives or take away from. Words make very powerful friends or foes. And, some words are meant to enrich the meanings of others. Like us, they all have a purpose for being. Great entry! gloria
Comment from gbgoglo - 5/16/05 12:26 PM
And you use them so well.
V
Comment from deabvt - 5/5/05 7:32 AM
I love that you love words so much! I can not claim to be a vocabulary buff myself though! ;-)
~ www.jerseygirljournal.com
Comment from cneinhorn - 4/27/05 7:25 AM
LOL! I never really understood how one was supposed to use the dictionary to check the spelling of a word, since you have to know how to spell it in order to find it in the dictionary... Lisa :-] http://journals.aol.com/mlraminiak/ComingtotermswithMiddleAge/
Comment from lisaram1955 - 4/26/05 8:37 AM
Oh, I love words as well! I just finished reading a book called "Mother Tongue". I am sure you would love it! I read dictionaries just to read them! Yes, words can heal and hurt...they are funny and silly and wonderful! I ponder them often! xox
Comment from valphish - 4/23/05 7:55 AM
What I like about words myself and the choice words that I use is the knowledge that words can hurt or heal. I like heal. : )
Just stopped by to say, "hi."
Angela
Comment from readmereadyou - 4/22/05 8:26 PM
Yes my dear, its a very deep entry for it once again gives insight your heart and brain. And in my humble opinion, the two are not mutually exclusive... Love you, Mom
Comment from tsgerkin - 4/22/05 3:40 AM
My husband was diagnosed with MS 17 years ago in his mid 20's. He does great, and is my hero :) .
God Bless,
Gabreael
http://journals.aol.com/gabreaelinfo/GabreaelsBodyMindSpiritJournal/
Comment from gabreaelinfo - 4/21/05 4:53 AM
I`m astonished to see this repost!
ReplyDeleteHehehehe,
V
well now...to answer your ending question, It would have to come from ones perspective. I, find, being a lover of words as well, that I get it.
ReplyDeleteI can find a word and just let it linger there...absorb it...
I get it!!!
Peace
Words can touch emotions
ReplyDeleteas I roll them on my tongue
often when I wish to speak them
I find they may get hung.
Not wishing to loose it
hold back and change my mind
till I have savored it more
then speak another time
Christina, we share a love for words but you say it more graciously.
Blessings
Spencer
http://spencersotherplace.blogspot.com/
It is deep and very well written. Great entry!!!
ReplyDeleteAstonish...a good word, probably, like awesome, over used to the point of being less powerful than it should be. And "thrill" originally had to do with being run through with a spear. Imagine (another good word.) Thanks for the thoughts!
ReplyDeleteHmm, I didn't think of it as much a jack hammer word as a "magic" and "unexpected" word. Just thinking now. I think the reason the first might be obsolete, if that's what obsolete means at the begining of the first explanation is that although we are still being struck with something in amazement, we have manhandled to pieces the word fear and it no longer holds valid weight. How can it? Long long ago, we might have said something like there is a man eating dinasaur outside our cave. I am afraid. Now we say, there was a fat lady in front of me at the grocery store cashier. I was afraid.
ReplyDeleteThe first image that came to me after hearing the word amaze was the image of a death defying trapeze artist. He amazes us with great wonder or surprise. We may think fearful thoughts as he performs, but I'm not so sure now days, if we wouldn't stay in the tent to ooh and ahh his demise.
I don't think we amaze God. BUT, I do think sometimes we make him giggle :)
Us