Hypertext Webster Gateway: "stunning"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Stun \Stun\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Stunned}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Stunning}.] [OE. stonien, stownien; either fr. AS. stunian
to resound (cf. D. stenen to groan, G. st["o]hnen, Icel.
stynja, Gr. ?, Skr. stan to thunder, and E. thunder), or from
the same source as E. astonish. [root]168.]
1. To make senseless or dizzy by violence; to render
senseless by a blow, as on the head.
One hung a poleax at his saddlebow, And one a heavy
mace to stun the foe. --Dryden.
2. To dull or deaden the sensibility of; to overcome;
especially, to overpower one's sense of hearing.
And stunned him with the music of the spheres.
--Pope.
3. To astonish; to overpower; to bewilder.
William was quite stunned at my discourse. --De Foe.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Stunning \Stun"ning\, a.
1. Overpowering consciousness; overpowering the senses;
especially, overpowering the sense of hearing; confounding
with noise.
2. Striking or overpowering with astonishment, especially on
account of excellence; as, stunning poetry. [Slang] --C.
Kingsley. -- {Stun"ning*ly}, adv. [Slang]
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
stunning
adj 1: commanding attention; "an arresting drawing of people
turning into animals"; "a sensational concert--one
never to be forgotten"; "a stunning performance" [syn:
{arresting}, {sensational}]
2: causing great astonishment and consternation; "the strike
came as a stunning protest against management"; "a
stunning defeat"
3: causing or capable of causing bewilderment or shock or
insensibility; "laid the poor fellow senseless with one
stunning blow"; "a stunning detonation with volumes of
black smoke"
4: strikingly beautiful or attractive; "quite stunning with
large dark eyes and a beautiful high-bosomed figure";
"stunning photographs of Canada's wilderness areas"
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