a. [f. L. stupendus ‘that is to be wondered at, amazing,’ gerundive of stupēre to be struck senseless, be amazed at: see -OUS.] Such as to cause stupor or astonishment; amazing, astounding; marvellous, prodigious; amazingly large or great.
1666. Pepys, Diary, 21 May. It is stupendous to see how favourably … my Lord Ashly carries himself to Mr. Yeabsly.
1669. Gale, Crt. Gentiles, I. I. iii. 22. The strength of these Anakims was stupendous.
1697. Dryden, Æneis, IX. 705. There stood a Tow’r … of stupendous height.
1732. Pope, Ess. Man, I. 267. All are but parts of one stupendous whole.
1798. Sophia Lee, Canterb. T., Young Lady’s T., II. 412. They reached the foot of that stupendous natural barrier, the Alps.
1863. Cowden Clarke, Shaks. Char., x. 261. The man who thinks to outwit three women, who are aware of his purpose, must indeed be a stupendous ass.
1863. Miss Braddon, Aurora Floyd, iii. The young officer laughed aloud at the stupendous joke.
1914. Eng. Hist. Rev., Jan., 135. He [Alfons Dopsch] is apt to attribute to his opponents stupendous oversights and elementary misunderstandings.
Hence Stupendously adv., Stupendousness.
1712. Stupendously: see STUPENDIOUSLY, quot. 1662.
1727. Bailey, vol. II., Stupendousness, Astonishingness.
1742. Lond. & Country Brewer, I. (ed. 4), 37. I have known some of the little Victualling Brewers, so stupendously ignorant, that [etc.].
1743. J. Ellis, Knowl. Div. Things, 219. Those very Works, which, from their Stupendousness, should have taught them the Greatness of the former.
1814. J. W. Croker, in C. Papers (1884), 7 Oct. Be … sure to make it [a column] stupendously high.
1848. Dickens, Dombey, i. Her nose, stupendously aquiline.
1890. Voice (N. Y.), 17 July. This generation so familiar with stupendousness of all kinds.
