shocking (adj.)

1690s, "offensive, giving offense," present-participle adjective from shock (v.1). It is attested by 1704 in a stronger sense of "causing a jolt of indignation, horror, etc." By 1798 as "deplorably bad, so bad as to be shocking." Related: Shockingly. In fashion, shocking pink was the name of a color introduced February 1937 by Italian-born designer Elsa Schiaparelli.

also from 1690s

Entries linking to shocking

shock (v.1)

"to come into violent contact; strike against suddenly and violently," 1560s, literal senses now archaic or obsolete, from shock (n.1). The meaning "offend, displease, strike with indignation, horror, or disgust" is by 1650s. The meaning "to give (something) an electric shock" is from 1746.

Trends of shocking

adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/. Ngrams are probably unreliable.

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frightful

Meaning "dreadful, horrible, shocking" (often hyperbolic) is attested from c. 1700; Johnson noted it as "a cant word among...

ghastly

c. 1300, gastlich, "inspiring fear or terror, hideous, shocking," with -lich (see -ly (2)) + gast (adj.)...

refute

For people who still use the word in its older sense it is rather shocking to hear on the B.B.C., which has a reputation...

sight

As "something that calls forth glances of shock, amusement, etc., a shocking spectacle," by 1862....

treat

c. 1300, "negotiate, bargain, deal with," from Old French traitier "deal with, act toward; set forth (in speech or writing)" (12c.), from Latin tractare "manage, handle, deal with, conduct oneself toward," originally "drag about, tug, haul, pull violently," frequentative of trahe

dismay

c. 1300, dismaien, "become or be alarmed, upset, or frightened; to confound, break down the courage of by danger or difficulty or fear of calamity, fill with despairing apprehension;" perhaps formed in Anglo-French or Middle English from dis-, here probably intensive (see dis-),

galvanize

1801, "stimulate by galvanic electricity," from French galvaniser, from galvanisme (see galvanism). Figurative sense of "excite, stimulate (as if by electricity)" first recorded 1853 (galvanic was in figurative use in 1807). Meaning "to coat with metal by means of galvanic electr

scandalize

late 15c. (Caxton), "make a public scandal of" (a sense now obsolete), from Old French scandaliser (12c.), from Church Latin scandalizare, from late Greek skandalizein "make to stumble; tempt; give offense to (someone)," from skandalon (see scandal). The sense of "shock by doing

floor

Old English flor "floor, pavement, ground, bottom (of a lake, etc.)," from Proto-Germanic *floruz "floor" (source also of Middle Dutch and Dutch vloer, Old Norse flor "floor," Middle High German vluor "floor, flooring," German Flur "field, meadow"), from PIE *plaros "flat surface

collect

early 15c., "gather into one place or group" (transitive), from Old French collecter "to collect" (late 14c.), from Latin collectus, past participle of colligere "gather together," from assimilated form of com "together" (see com-) + legere "to gather," from PIE root *leg- (1) "t

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updated on August 26, 2022

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Dictionary entries near shocking

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shoehorn