agast definition
Word Origin & History. aghast mid-13c., agast, terrified, pp. of M.E. agasten to frighten, from a- intensive prefix + O.E. gæstan to terrify, from gæst spirit, ghost, The -gh- spelling appeared early 15c. in Scottish and is possibly a Flemish influence, or after ghost, etc. It became general after 1700. Contemporary Examples. 1  She recalls that her father was aghast when somebody asked him if he had treated King differently than he might another patient. The Black and White Men Who Saved Martin Luther King’s Life Michael Daly January 19, 2014. 2  Britain was aghast at the loss of its near-viceregal sway in Egypt. Definition of aghast. : struck with terror, amazement, or horror : shocked and upset was aghast when she heard the news. Examples of august in a sentence. 1  We visited their august mansion and expansive grounds. 2  The family claims an august lineage. Origin and Etymology of aghast. Middle English agast, from past participle of agasten to frighten, from a- (perfective prefix) + gasten to frighten — more at abide, gast. First Known Use: 13th century. August comes from the Latin word augustus, meaning consecrated or venerable, which in turn is related to the Latin augur, meaning consecrated by augury or auspicious.. In 8 B.C. the Roman Senate honored Augustus Caesar, the first Roman emperor, by changing the name of their month Sextilis to Augustus.. struck with overwhelming shock or amazement; filled with sudden fright or horror: They stood aghast at the sight of the plane crashing. Origin of aghast. Word of the day: manticore. a monster with a lion's body, a scorpion's tail, and a man's head with three rows of teeth. It roamed the jungles of India and, like the Sphinx , would ask travellers a riddle and kill them when they failed to answer it. See full definition. Numerology. 1  Chaldean Numerology. The numerical value of agast in Chaldean Numerology is: 3. 2  Pythagorean Numerology. The numerical value of agast in Pythagorean Numerology is: 3. Struck by shock, terror, or amazement. [Middle English agast, past participle of agasten, to frighten : a-, intensive pref. (from Old English ā-) + gasten, to frighten (from Old English gǣstan, from gāst, ghost).]
Struck with terror, amazement, or horror.