speechless
adj/ˈspiːt͡ʃ.lɪs/US
Etymology
From Middle English specheles, from Old English sprǣċlēas (“speechless; without the power of speak”), from Proto-Germanic *sprēkalausaz, equivalent to speech + -less. Cognate with West Frisian sprakeleas (“speechless”), Dutch sprakeloos (“speechless”), German Low German spraaklos (“speechless”), German sprachlos (“speechless”).
- inherited from *sprēkalausaz✻
- inherited from sprǣċlēas
- inherited from specheles
Definitions
Not speaking
Not speaking; not knowing what to say; silent, especially due to surprise, amazement, etc.; wordless.
- When he walked into his surprise birthday party, he was completely speechless.
- The attack was so unwarranted and delivered with such venom that his unpreparedness for it left him speechless.
Synonym of unspeakable.
- Immortal Pleaſures round my ſwimming Eyes did dance, And ſpeechleſs Joys, in whoſe ſweet Tumult toſt, I thought my Breath, and my new Being loſt.
- O Mother Earth, O Sun that makest clean, What poison have I heard, what speechless sin !
The neighborhood
Derived
Vish — recursive loop
No curated loop yet for speechless. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.
sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA