What is the origin of flabbergasted?
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What is the origin of flabbergasted?
The origin of the verb is uncertain; possibly dialectal (Suffolk), from flabby or flap (“to strike”) + aghast. The word may be related to Scottish flabrigast (“to boast”) or flabrigastit (“worn out with exertion”). The noun is derived from the verb.
What’s the DEF of flabbergasted?
Definition of flabbergast transitive verb. : to overwhelm with shock, surprise, or wonder : dumbfound We were flabbergasted by the news that he had won the lottery.
Who invented flabbergasted?
The British comedian Frankie Howerd used to say in mock astonishment: “I’m flabbergasted — never has my flabber been so gasted!”. That’s about as good an explanation for the origin of this strange word for being surprised or astonished as you’re likely to get.
When was the word flabbergasted first used?
The adjective flabbergasted was first used in the late 18th century. Early uses were mainly of the verb ‘to flabbergast’ but these days it is generally used adjectivally.
Where did the term whippersnappers come from?
The term whippersnapper is derived from the terms snipper-snapper and whip-snapper. A whip-snapper was a seventeenth-century term for a young man with nothing better to do than to hang about idly snapping a whip. Whippersnapper is one of those rare terms that has a somewhat literal origin.
How do you use the word flabbergasted?
How to use flabbergasted in a sentence. A flock of young pullets that have been accustomed to ranging freely over the farm were completely flabbergasted by the situation. To say that David was flabbergasted was to express his condition mildly. If I hadnt been so flabbergasted I might have given you a friendly tip.
What is the opposite of flabbergasted?
(indifferent) Opposite of confounded with surprise or wonder. indifferent. nonchalant. unimpressed. unconcerned.
Where does discombobulated come from?
Where does discombobulate come from? Discombobulate, meaning “to confuse, frustrate,” sounds like something straight out of a cartoon. It was first recorded in the form discomboberate in the early 1800s, and apparently originated as a humorous imitation of hifalutin-sounding Latin words.
When was the word gobsmacked first used?
1930s
Gobsmacked originated as English and Scottish slang, and the first records of its use come from around the mid-1930s. It’s now a common slang term in the U.K. and is also used somewhat commonly in the U.S. and other English-speaking areas.
Where did gobsmacked come from?
This word comes from Irish and Scottish Gaelic. It still pops up in other places in British slang – for example, “shut your gob!” If you say that you were “gobsmacked,” it means that you were so surprised or astonished, it was as though someone had smacked you in the mouth.
What does little whippersnapper mean?
Definition of whippersnapper : a diminutive, insignificant, or presumptuous person.
What is another word for Flabergasted?
In this page you can discover 20 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for flabbergasted, like: astonished, surprised, overwhelmed, dumbfounded, stunned, confounded, shocked, awed, astounded, boggled and dumbstruck.
Is flabbergasted an adjective or a verb?
Use the adjective flabbergasted to describe someone who’s astounded or surprised for any reason, good or bad.
What is the opposite of discombobulated?
Antonyms. orient demystify deglycerolize disarrange undeceive unaffectedness stand still. baffle bewilder amaze flummox confound.
