What's the origin of the word "flabbergasted"?
by 
wickedwillie
ANSWERS: 3
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It's not a new word - Flabbergasted has been used since the 1700's. It's a compound word - the origins of the second part is "gasten". It means to be terrified, totally surprised or shocked. The origins of the first part are unknown although many believe the root word is "flabby" or "flap " meaning your shake uncontrollably like a bowl of jelly or flap around " She's in a real flap now". flabber - shaking or flap around as in a flap. gasten - terror, shock or surprise. I hope you are flabbergasted with this response!
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In one of the chapters of "Gulliver's Travels", the author describes a royal audience with a king who appears to be very weakminded or incapable of paying attention. When he is called upon for a statement or a response, a servant by his side, whacks him in the face with an inflated bladder on a stick, called a flabbergast, to awaken him from his apparent stupor. THIS IS THE ORIGIN and I have no idea why dictionaries do not credit it. Jonathan Steele, San Jose, CA
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There was this professor who invented a substance he called 'flabber' and he used it to 'gas' up his car, which then could fly, too.
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