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. stöhnen, Icel. stynja, Gr. &unr_;, Skr. stan to thunder, and E. thunder), or from the same source as E. astonish. √168. ] 1. To make senseless or dizzy by violence; to render senseless by a blow, as on the head. [ 1913 Webster ]

One hung a poleax at his saddlebow,
And one a heavy mace to stun the foe. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To dull or deaden the sensibility of; to overcome; especially, to overpower one's sense of hearing. [ 1913 Webster ]

And stunned him with the music of the spheres. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To astonish; to overpower; to bewilder. [ 1913 Webster ]

William was quite stunned at my discourse. De Foe. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ Russ. shtundist, prob. fr. G. stunde hour; -- from their meetings for Bible reading. ] (Eccl. Hist.) One of a large sect of Russian dissenters founded, about 1860, in the village of Osnova, near Odessa, by a peasant, Onishchenko, who had apparently been influenced by a German sect settled near there. They zealously practice Bible reading and reject priestly dominion and all external rites of worship. -- Stun"dism n. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

imp. & p. p. of Sting. [ 1913 Webster ]

imp. & p. p. of Stink. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who, or that which, stuns. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Something striking or amazing in quality; something of extraordinary excellence. [ Slang ] Thackeray. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Overpowering consciousness; overpowering the senses; especially, overpowering the sense of hearing; confounding with noise. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Striking or overpowering with astonishment, especially on account of excellence; as, stunning poetry. [ Slang ] C. Kingsley. -- Stun"ning*ly, adv. [Slang] [1913 Webster]

n. (Naut.) A contraction of Studding sail. [ 1913 Webster ]

With every rag set, stunsails, sky scrapers and all. Lowell. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. Stint a task. ] 1. A feat hard to perform; an act which is striking for the skill, strength, or the like, required to do it; a feat. [ Colloq. ]

An extraordinary man does three or four different “stunts” with remarkable dexterity. The Bookman.

He does not try to do stunts; and, above all, he does not care to go in swimming. L. Hutton. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. an unusual action performed to gain public attention; as, a publicity stunt. [ PJC ]