[f. c. 1600 from the prec., either by treating it as a simple adj., and forming a factitive vb. on it, as in round, to round, or by taking it as the contracted form of a pa. pple. astounded, which implied a vb. to astound. (Cf. ME. send = sended, pa. pple. of SEND v.) The latter view is supported by the facts that the pple. astounded (see next) appears much earlier than the other parts of the verb, and that our earliest instance of the latter shows astound as (contracted) pa. tense. Analogous changes appear in the vb. sound, sounded, for OF. soner, suner, souner, ME. soun, pa. t. souned, soun’d, and in several other words. (Cf. esp. the vulgar drownd, drownded, for drown, drown’d.)]
† 1. To deprive of consciousness, stupefy. Obs.
1600. Fairfax, Tasso, IX. xxiii. No weapon on his hard’ned helmet bit, No puissant stroke his senses once astound.
1727. Thomson, Summer, 1138. The lightnings flash a larger curve, and more The noise astounds.
2. To shock with alarm, surprise or wonder; to strike with amazement.
1634. Milton, Comus, 210. These thoughts may startle well, but not astound The virtuous mind. Ibid. (1642), Apol. Smectymn. (1851), 306. It was intended to astound and to astonish the guilty Prelats.
1837. J. Harris, Gt. Teacher, 367. Who could … have dazzled and astounded the world with celestial visions.
1851. H. Spencer, Soc. Statics, xxxii. § 6. Very intimate friends occasionally astound him by quite unexpected behaviour.
