stun

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle)

CIDE DICTIONARY

stun, v. t. [OE. stonien, stownien; either fr. AS. stunian to resound (cf. D. stenen to groan, G. stöhnen, Icel. stynja, Gr. , Skr. stan to thunder, and E. thunder), or from the same source as E. astonish. √168.].

•  To make senseless or dizzy by violence; to render senseless by a blow, as on the head.  [1913 Webster]

  "One hung a poleax at his saddlebow,
  And one a heavy mace to stun the foe."  [1913 Webster]
•  To dull or deaden the sensibility of; to overcome; especially, to overpower one's sense of hearing.  [1913 Webster]

  "And stunned him with the music of the spheres."  [1913 Webster]
•  To astonish; to overpower; to bewilder.  [1913 Webster]

  "William was quite stunned at my discourse."  [1913 Webster]

stun, n. 

 The condition of being stunned.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

stun, v.tr. (stunned, stunning)
1 knock senseless; stupefy.
2 bewilder or shock.
3 (of a sound) deafen temporarily.

Etymology

ME f. OF estoner ASTONISH

THESAURUS

stun

KO, amaze, anesthetize, appall, astonish, astound, awake the dead, awe, awestrike, bedaze, bedazzle, bemuse, benumb, besot, bewilder, blast, blast the ear, blunt, boggle, boom, bowl down, bowl over, chloroform, coldcock, confound, crash, crescendo, daze, dazzle, deaden, deafen, desensitize, din, discombobulate, dope, drug, dull, dumbfound, dumbfounder, electrify, etherize, fill the air, flabbergast, freeze, frighten, horrify, jar, jolt, kayo, knock out, knock senseless, knock stiff, knock unconscious, lay out, narcotize, nonplus, numb, obtund, overcome, overwhelm, palsy, paralyze, peal, perplex, petrify, put to sleep, rattle the windows, rend the air, rend the ears, resound, ring, rise, rock the sky, scare stiff, scare to death, shake, shake up, shock, split the eardrums, split the ears, stagger, startle, startle the echoes, strike dead, strike dumb, strike terror into, strike with wonder, stupefy, surge, surprise, swell, take aback, terrify, thunder

ROGET THESAURUS

stun

Insensibility

VB be insensible, have a rhinoceros hide, show insensibility, not mind, not care, not be affected by, have no desire for, have no interest in, feel no interest in, take no interest in, nil admirari, not care a straw for, disregard, set at naught, turn a deaf ear to, vegetate, render insensible, render callous, blunt, obtund, numb, benumb, paralyze, deaden, hebetate, stun, stupefy, brutify, brutalize, chloroform, anaesthetize, put under, assify, inure, harden the heart, steel, caseharden, sear.

Excitation

VB excite, affect, touch, move, impress, strike, interest, animate, inspire, impassion, smite, infect, stir the blood, fire the blood, warm the blood, set astir, wake, awake, awaken, call forth, evoke, provoke, raise up, summon up, call up, wake up, blow up, get up, light up, raise, get up the steam, rouse, arouse, stir, fire, kindle, enkindle, apply the torch, set on fire, inflame, stimulate, exsuscitate, inspirit, spirit up, stir up, work up, pique, infuse life into, give new life to, bring new blood, introduce new blood, quicken, sharpen, whet, work upon, hurry on, give a fillip, put on one's mettle, fan the fire, fan the flame, blow the coals, stir the embers, fan into a flame, foster, heat, warm, foment, raise to a fever heat, keep up, keep the pot boiling, revive, rekindle, rake up, rip up, stir the feelings, play on the feelings, come home to the feelings, touch a string, touch a chord, touch the soul, touch the heart, go to one's heart, penetrate, pierce, go through one, touch to the quick, possess the soul, pervade the soul, penetrate the soul, imbrue the soul, absorb the soul, affect the soul, disturb the soul, absorb, rivet the attention, sink into the mind, sink into the heart, prey on the mind, distract, intoxicate, overwhelm, overpower, bouleverser, upset, turn one's head, fascinate, enrapture, agitate, perturb, ruffle, fluster, shake, disturb, startle, shock, stagger, give one a shock, give one a turn, strike all of a heap, stun, astound, electrify, galvanize, petrify, irritate, sting, cut to the heart, cut to the quick, try one's temper, fool to the top of one's bent, pique, infuriate, madden, make one's blood boil, lash into fury, be excited, flush up, flare up, catch the infection, thrill, mantle, work oneself up, seethe, boil, simmer, foam, fume, flame, rage, rave, run mad.

Wonder

VB wonder, marvel, admire, be surprised, start, stare, open one's eyes, rub one's eyes, turn up one's eyes, gloar, gape, open one's mouth, hold one's breath, look aghast, stand aghast, stand agog, look blank, tombe des nues, not believe one's eyes, not believe one's ears, not believe one's senses, not be able to account for, not know whether one stands on one's head or one's, surprise, astonish, amaze, astound, dumfound, dumfounder, startle, dazzle, daze, strike, strike with wonder, strike with awe, electrify, stun, stupefy, petrify, confound, bewilder, flabbergast, stagger, throw on one's beam ends, fascinate, turn the head, take away one's breath, strike dumb, make one's hair stand on end, make one's tongue cleave to the roof of one's mout, make one stare, take by surprise, be wonderful, beggar description, beggar the imagination, baffle description, stagger belief.

Physical Insensibility

VB be insensible, have a thick skin, have a rhinoceros hide, render insensible, anaesthetize, blunt, pall, obtund, benumb, paralyze, put under the influence of chloroform, stupefy, stun.

Loudness

VB be loud, peal, swell, clang, boom, thunder, blare, fulminate, roar, resound, speak up, shout, bellow, rend the air, rend the skies, fill the air, din in the ear, ring in the ear, thunder in the ear, pierce the ears, split the ears, rend the ears, split the head, deafen, stun, faire le diable a quatre, make one's windows shake, rattle the windows, awaken the echoes, startle the echoes, wake the dead.

Deafness

VB be deaf, have no ear, shut one's ears, stop one's ears, close one's ears, turn a deaf ear to, render deaf, stun, deafen.

Inexpectation

VB not expect, be taken by surprise, start, miscalculate, not bargain for, come upon, fall upon, be unexpected, come unawares, turn up, pop, drop from the clouds, come upon one, burst upon one, flash upon one, bounce upon one, steal upon one, creep upon one, come like a thunder clap, burst like a thunderclap, thunder bolt, take by surprise, catch by surprise, catch unawares, catch napping, yach, pounce upon, spring a mine upon, surprise, startle, take aback, electrify, stun, stagger, take away one's breath, throw off one's guard, astonish, dumbfound.