Astonisher

Pronunciation varies by accent · noun

Meaning

Something that astonishes; an astonishing thing or event..

Definitions by Sense

1. Something that astonishes; an astonishing thing or event.
2. Someone who astonishes.
3. (typography, printing, computing, chiefly US) An exclamation mark, the punctuation mark “!”.
4. (typography, journalism, chiefly US) A short line of smaller type above (or sometimes below) the main headline of an article, usually placed flush-left.
5. (journalism) A headline or lead (introductory paragraph) designed to capture attention through a surprising statement.

Example Sentences

(colloquial)

1858, Abraham Lincoln, debate with Stephen A. Douglas on 10 July, 1858 in Speeches and Letters of Abraham Lincoln, 1832-1865, London: J.M. Dent and New York: Dutton, 1907, p. 88, It [this court decision] is the first of its kind; it is an astonisher in legal history; it is a new wonder of the world;

[…] the railroad between Leghorn and Pisa […] has already begun to astonish Italy with a precedent of punctuality, order, plain dealing, and improvement—the most dangerous and heretical astonisher of all.

He [the king pretending to be a peasant] was always frightening me, always breaking out with fresh astonishers, in new and unexpected places.

Well, if life were tragedy, it still was life, the ultimate astonisher.

1987, Gary Jennings, Spangle, New York: Atheneum, “France,” Chapter 8, p. 867, The equestrian director introduced her with almost Florian-florid superlatives-the wonder of her time, the astonisher of even the most jaded connaisseurs du cirque, and so on and so on-but still keeping a mystery Mademoiselle Mystère’s specialty.

[…] God, before whom all Nations are as nothing, thou Astonisher of all Flesh, thou art even too Wonderful for me,

[…] when they [the guides for tourists] excite an exclamation of wonder, they never sympathise with it, but treat it as a matter of course that you should be the astonished, and they the astonishers.

Synonyms for astonisher

Antonyms for astonisher

Related Words

Word Forms

• astonishers

Usage Notes

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