Forms: 1 wundrian, 3–4 wondri, 4–5 woundre, 4–6 wondre, wondir, (3 wundren, wundre, wndre, wundrie, wondry, Orm. wunndrenn, 4 wondur, 5 wondyr, wundur, wunderon, wonderyn), 5–6 wunder, wounder, -ir, 6–7 woonder, 4– wonder. [OE. wundrian = OS. wundrôn, (M)Du. wonderen, OHG. wuntarôn (MHG., G. wundern), ON. undra (Sw. undra, Da. undre): f. WONDER sb.]
1. intr. To feel or be affected with wonder; to be struck with surprise or astonishment, to marvel. Also occas. to express wonder in speech. a. in OE. const. genitive of the object of wonder, also with preps., now nearly always at, occas. over, formerly also on, upon, of.
c. 888. Ælfred, Boeth., xxxiv. § 10. Hwa mæʓ þæt he ne wundrie swelcra ʓesceafta ures scyppendes?
971. Blickl. Hom., 33. Nis þæt to wundriʓenne … þæt he acweald beon wolde. Ibid., 153. He ʓehyrde heora þrowunga & he þa wundrode æfter þære ʓesihþe.
a. 1000. Phœnix, 331. Ðonne wundriað weras ofer eorþan wlite & wæstma.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Mark vi. 2. Maneʓe ʓehyrdon & wundrodon on his lare.
c. 1200. Ormin, 7633. Josep … & Marȝe … wundredenn baþe off all þatt hemm wass cwiddedd tære off Criste.
a. 1250. Owl & Night., 228. Þu fliȝst a niȝt and noȝt a-dai, Þar-of ich wndri.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 3716. Ȝetenisse men ben in ebron, Quilc men mai ȝet wundren on.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 5353. In lepes & in coufles so moche viss hii ssolleþ hom bringe, Þat ech mon ssal wondry of so gret cacchinge.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 18774. Godmen o galilee, apon quat thing sa wonder yee?
c. 1386. Chaucer, Sqr.’s T., 217. Somme of hem wondred on the Mirour … Hou men myghte in it swiche thynges se.
c. 1430. Syr Gener. (Roxb.), 7599. Mirabel wondred of hir woo, Whi hir ladie ferd soo.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 125 b/1. All the peple drewe to hym and wondred on hym.
1529. More, Dyaloge, X. 16 b/2. We nothyng wonder at the ebbyng and flowyng of the see.
1590. Shaks., Mids. N., IV. i. 136. I wonder of this being heere together.
a. 1600. Montgomerie, Misc. Poems, xxiv. 16. O, wareit be my weird, For wondring on a deitie divyne.
1667. Milton, P. L., IX. 856. Hast thou not wonderd, Adam, at my stay?
1753. Richardson, Grandison (1754), IV. 191. I wonder at you.
1780. Cowper, Progr. Err., 191. Rufillus … Wonders at Clodio’s follies, in a tone As tragical, as others at his own.
1818. J. W. Croker, Jrnl., 7 Dec. in C. Papers (1884), I. iv. 123. I cannot but wonder at her living here and bearding the Prince in a way so indelicate.
1844. Emerson, Lect. New Eng. Reform., Ess. Ser. II. 312–3. The unwise … wonders at what is unusual, the wise man wonders at the usual.
1919. B. Capes, Skel. Key, xvii. 213. His b-benevolent truthfulness was a thing to wonder over.
b. with clause expressing the motive or object of wonder.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Luke i. 21. Þæt folc wæs zachariam ʓeanbidiende, & wundrodon þæt he on þam temple læt wæs.
c. 1386, c. 1430. [see a].
1553. Respublica, 602. Nowe I doe lesse woonder that lost men, life to save, Ferre from lande dooe Laboure againste the roring wave.
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot. (S.T.S.), I. 36. This causes men meruellouslie to wondir, that vndir that earth ar fund gret stokis … of wondirful akes and vthir tries.
1599. Shaks., Much Ado, I. i. 117. I wonder that you will still be talking, signior Benedicke, no body markes you.
1671. Milton, Samson, 215. I oft have heard men wonder Why thou shouldst wed Philistian women rather Then of thine own Tribe fairer.
1676. in 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. V. 33. I wonder my father would not ease himselfe from his Haddon inquietudes by staying at Belvoire.
1708. Swift, Bickerstaff Detected, 5. A Third Rogue tips me by the Elbow, and wonders how I have the Conscience to sneak abroad.
1846. Greener, Sci. Gunnery, 133. We wonder the parties did not take a patent for the discovery.
1885. ‘Mrs. Alexander,’ At Bay, vii. I wonder he is not more confidential with you.
c. const. to with inf. (usually = at with gerund).
1604. E. G[rimstone], trans. D’Acosta’s Hist. Indies, III. xix. 183. When wee goe … to the Indies, wee woonder to see the land so pleasant, greene and fresh.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 34, ¶ 4. He wondered to hear a Man of his Sense talk after that Manner.
1798. Ferriar, Illustr. Sterne, etc., 222. We cannot wonder to find a joint occasionally added to this part.
1840. Thackeray, Pictorial Rhapsody, Concl., Wks. 1900, XIII. 354. The drawing is executed in a manner so loose and slovenly that one wonders to behold it.
d. in indirect passive (now only in to be wondered at as adj. or pred. phr.).
1532. More, Confut. Barnes, VIII. Wks. 741/2. He had so monstrouslye dressed himself because he would be wondred on.
1549. Coverdale, etc., Erasm. Par. Rom. xii. 16–19. That to hymself … he seme a stoute felow and one to be wondered at.
1588. Shaks., L. L. L., V. ii. 266. Are these the breed of wits so wondered at?
a. 1701. Maundrell, Journ. Jerus. (1732), 28. Nor is this ignorance to be much wondred at.
1825. Scott, Talism., xi. It cannot be wondered at if he took such opportunities as offered.
e. Without construction. Now rare.
c. 1205. Lay., 473. Ȝif heo wlleð frescipe bi-winnen ne wndre þou nawiht þer fore.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 11409. A sterre … þat comete icluped is Aros … Þat ech man miȝte wondri þat þe sterre isei.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Serm., Sel. Wks. II. 306. Herfore þei alle abaishiden and woundriden.
1390. Gower, Conf., I. 185. Wherof thei merveile everychon, Bot Elda wondreth most of alle.
1533. Frith, Answ. More (1548), D vj b. They … vnderstoode not the Spirituall wordes of our Sauioure Christe, and therfore wondered and murmured.
1567. Gude & Godlie B. (S.T.S.), 100. Quhen men sall se this haistie suddand change, Than sall thay wunder.
1611. Shaks., Cymb., I. vi. 81. Whil’st I am bound to wonder, I am bound To pitty too.
f. pass. (obs.) and refl. (obs. or dial.) in the same sense. Also † impers. (me wondreth = I wonder).
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 376. Ne wundrie heo hire nowiht, ȝif heo nis nout Marie.
a. 1300. Floriz & Bl., 354. Muche he wule þonki þe And of þe suþe iwundred beo.
a. 1330. Roland & V., 161. Me wondreþ … Þat þou comest nouȝt to do batayl.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 4295. Vs wondreþ at ȝowre nurture of pris, Þat swylke vilenie in þe now lys.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 9821. Þof þow wylne to þe wer, wonders vs noght.
a. 1400–50. Wars Alex., 2856. Þai ware so woundird of þat werke.
c. 1430. Pilgr. Lyf Manhode, I. iv. (1869), 3. Yit more j wundrede me of a thing that j seygh.
1533. Tindale, Supper of Lord, B vj b. I wonder me, that hys scholemaister here fayled him so conynge as he maketh hym selfe therin.
g. I shouldn’t wonder (colloq.): I should not be surprised (if, etc.).
1836. Dickens, Sk. Boz, Gt. Winglebury Duel. ‘Do you think you could manage to leave a letter there?’ interrogated Trott. ‘Shouldn’t wonder,’ responded boots.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), I. 19. I should not wonder if he who said this did not understand what he was saying.
1913. Edith Wharton, Custom of Country, I. iii. 34–5. Saying … ‘I wouldn’t wonder’ when she thought any one was trying to astonish her.
2. Usually with clause: To ask oneself in wonderment; to feel some doubt or curiosity (how, whether, why, etc.); to be desirous to know or learn.
I wonder is often placed after a question that expresses the object of curiosity or doubt; e.g., ‘How can that be, I wonder?’ = I wonder how that can be. Also I wonder!, colloq. exclamation expressing doubt, incredulity, or reserve of judgment.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 160. Þe stones stondeþ þere so grete … & oþere liggeþ heie aboue … Þat eche man wondry may hou hii were ferst arered.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XIX. 199. I wondred what þat was.
1390. Gower, Conf., I. 210. Thei wondren what sche wolde mene, And riden after softe pas.
a. 1425. trans. Arderne’s Treat. Fistula, etc., 6. Ȝif the pacient considere or wondre or aske why that he putte hym so long a tyme of curyng.
1590. Shaks., Mids. N., III. ii. 1. I wonder if Titania be awak’t. Ibid. (1611), Wint. T., III. iii. 71. What haue we heere? Mercy on’s, a Barne?… A boy, or a Childe I wonder?
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., II. xxvi. 139. A man may wonder from whence proceed such opinions.
1681. Evelyn, Lett. to Pepys, 6 Dec., P.’s Diary 1879, VI. 138. I know it has been wondered upon what pretence I should have sought to sit at the Navy Board.
1716. Addison, Freeholder, No. 43, ¶ 1. One would wonder how any Person endow’d with … ordinary … Prudence … should [etc.].
1782. Cowper, John Gilpin, 96. His horse … What thing upon his back had got Did wonder more and more. Ibid. (1784), Task, I. 469. The heart … finds no music in the song,… and wonders why.
1847. Tennyson, in Ld. Tennyson, Mem. (1897), I. 244. I wonder whether you can read this scrawl.
1853. Dickens, Bleak Ho., iv. I still remained before the fire, wondering and wondering about Bleak House.
1858. Punch, XXXIV. 2/2. Well, I ’m sure! What next, I wonder!
1864. Mrs. H. Wood, Ld. Oakburn’s Dau., xvii. ‘But what is it all to me?’ wondered the captain.
1885–94. R. Bridges, Eros & Psyche, Feb. v. Wondering of her wiles, and what the charge Shut in the dark obsidian pyx might be.
1898. J. K. Jerome, 2nd Thoughts of Idle Fellow, 5. She wonders would they change it, if she went back.
1922. J. Storer Clouston, Lunatic at large again, I. vi. 70. ‘Oh, it was entirely his own idea.’ Mr. Mason threw him a curious look. ‘I wonder!’ said he.
† 3. trans. To regard with wonder; to marvel at: often implying profound admiration (cf. WONDER sb. 7 c). Obs.
1535. Coverdale, Ecclus. ix. 8. Many a man wonderinge the bewtye of a straunge woman, haue bene cast out.
1567. Painter, Pal. Pleas., II. 156 b. That which was more to be wondred in hym.
1593. B. Barnes, Parthenophil, xxvi. in Arber’s Garner, V. 354. If She be silent, every man in place With silence, wonders her!
1631. Heywood, 2nd Pt. Fair Maid of West, I. C 2. Goodl. You wonder me. Mull. No, thou art dull, or fearfull, fare thee well.
1821. Lamb, Elia, Ser. I. My first Play. I knew nothing, understood nothing, discriminated nothing. I felt all, loved all, wondered all.
b. impers. pass. It is to be wondered = it is to be wondered at (1 d). Now rare or Obs.
1654. Earl Monm., trans. Bentivoglio’s Wars Flanders, 2. You shall see them so favour’d … as it is not to be wondred if they have made so long opposition.
1771. Goldsm., Hist. Eng., I. 350. It is not then to be wondered, that there were many complaints.
1827. Westm. Rev., April, 284. If it is wondered that they abused what was in their power.
1886. Symonds, Renaiss. It., Cath. Reaction, II. 434. It is not to be wondered that … a mournful discouragement should have descended on the age.
† 4. To affect or strike with wonder; to cause to marvel, amaze, astound. (See also 1 f.) Obs.
1558. G. Cavendish, Poems (1825), II. 123. But how they durst presume it wonders me therefore.
1627. W. Sclater, Expos. 2 Thess. (1629), 187. It wonders me to hear the desperate inference. Ibid. (1638), Serm. Experimentall, 28. Of all passages in the story of Job, that one thing wonders me.
1788. Mme. D’Arblay, Diary, 25 Oct. She alarms me sometimes for herself, at other times she has a sedateness that wonders me still more.
5. intr. To perform wonders. nonce-use.
1784. Cowper, Task, IV. 87. Katterfelto, with his hair on end At his own wonders, wond’ring for his bread.
