Definitions

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective chiefly UK, slang Flabbergasted, astounded, speechless, overawed.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective utterly astounded

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

As if smacked ("hit") in the gob ("mouth (Irish / Scottish gaelic)").

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Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word gobsmacked.

Examples

Comments

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  • Nasty signature ... ouch, ouch!

    November 24, 2008

  • Somehow I don't see this word as the "essence of English", bnl.

    November 24, 2008

  • Sorry Rolig...I was just creating an empty shell of a list for John to import the full list of the 2,709 words of English that make up 90% of any text and 95%+ of spoken English sometime soon. I was just playing around with what HTML codes are allowed (see CONCORDANCE link to the word "accommodate") and Turkish characters (I live in a Turkish speaking country, so we provide a Turkish translation of the most common meanings of the most commonly used words) so I deliberately chose an 'offlist' word like gobsmacked so I can delete it later after the import.

    If you're curious about the research behind our list and the pedagogical implications, follow the lexitronics link or go to http://bnl2709.edublogs.org/colour-of-words - the vocabulary profiler using our words is available at http://lextutor.ca/vp/bnl

    November 25, 2008

  • Concordance


    Powered by lexitronics

    November 25, 2008

  • So why not put this stuff on your profile? And not on specific words?

    November 25, 2008

  • Bilby...I had put a couple links to the research base for BNL2709 in my profile, but it is a good idea to add a few more cross-links to Cobb's Lextutor site. Thanks for the suggestion. :)

    I am quite new to WORDIE so I haven't explored all the nooks and crannies. I have put the CONCORDANCE link in as a comment because I am exploring the idea of 'data-driven learning' in terms of learning English as a foreign language. I had suggested to John that another link be added to this resource along with the various links to dictionaries, etc., but John felt it was too specific to be of general interest.

    I'm just experimenting at the moment...the idea is to use this with EFL learners who need to develop an in depth knowledge of the most commonly used words in English, because they aren't exposed to English outside the classroom. Thanks for your comments and suggestions.

    November 25, 2008

  • bnl2709: Are you saying that your primary interest in Wordie is for its potential use as a mechanism for disseminating your own particular agenda? If so, I can fully understand why John might feel it's not of general interest.

    November 25, 2008

  • Welcome to Wordie, bnl2709! You might want to spend a few minutes checking out this site and what it's all about. It shouldn't take more than about ten minutes.

    November 26, 2008