Definition of amaze verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

amaze

verb

/əˈmeɪz/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they amaze	/əˈmeɪz/ /əˈmeɪz/
he / she / it amazes	/əˈmeɪzɪz/ /əˈmeɪzɪz/
past simple amazed	/əˈmeɪzd/ /əˈmeɪzd/
past participle amazed	/əˈmeɪzd/ /əˈmeɪzd/
-ing form amazing	/əˈmeɪzɪŋ/ /əˈmeɪzɪŋ/

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to surprise somebody very much
- amaze somebody Just the size of the place amazed her.
- amaze somebody what, how, etc… It never ceases to amaze me what some people will do for money.
- What amazes me is how long she managed to hide it from us.
- it amazes somebody that… It amazed me that she could be so calm at such a time.
- it amazes somebody to see, find, learn, etc… It amazes me to think what we have achieved this year.
Synonyms surprise
surprisestartle ▪ amaze ▪ stun ▪ astonish ▪ take somebody aback ▪ astoundThese words all mean to make somebody feel surprised.
surprise to give somebody the feeling that you get when something happens that you do not expect or do not understand, or something that you do expect does not happen; to make somebody feel surprised:
The outcome didn’t surprise me at all.
startle to surprise somebody suddenly in a way that slightly shocks or frightens them:
Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.
The explosion startled the horse.
amaze to surprise somebody very much:
Just the huge size of the place amazed her.
stun (rather informal) (often in newspapers) to surprise or shock somebody so much that they cannot think clearly or speakastonish to surprise somebody very much:
The news astonished everyone.
amaze or astonish?These two words have the same meaning and in most cases you can use either. If you are talking about something that both surprises you and makes you feel ashamed, use astonish: He was astonished by his own stupidity.
take somebody aback [usually passive] (especially of something negative) to surprise or shock somebody:
We were rather taken aback by her hostile reaction.
astound to surprise or shock somebody very much:
His arrogance astounded her.
Patterns
- It surprises somebody/startles somebody/amazes somebody/stuns somebody/astonishes somebody/takes somebody aback/astounds somebody
- to surprise/startle/amaze/stun/astonish/astound somebody that…
- to surprise/amaze somebody what/how…
- to surprise/startle/amaze/stun/astonish/astound somebody to know/find/learn/see/hear…
- to be surprised/startled/stunned into (doing) something
Topics Feelingsb1
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adverb
- really
- still
verb + amaze
- continue to
- never cease to
- never fail to
- …
See full entry
Word OriginOld English āmasian, of unknown origin.

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apron

noun

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Clothes and fashion

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