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Webster 1913 Edition

Wonder

Won′der

,
Noun.
[OE.
wonder
,
wunder
, AS.
wundor
; akin to D.
wonder
, OS.
wundar
, OHG.
wuntar
, G.
wunder
, Icel.
undr
, Sw. & Dan.
under
, and perhaps to Gr. [GREEK] to gaze at.]
1.
That emotion which is excited by novelty, or the presentation to the sight or mind of something new, unusual, strange, great, extraordinary, or not well understood; surprise; astonishment; admiration; amazement.
They were filled with
wonder
and amazement at that which had happened unto him.
Acts iii. 10.
Wonder
is the effect of novelty upon ignorance.
Johnson.
☞ Wonder expresses less than astonishment, and much less than amazement. It differs from admiration, as now used, in not being necessarily accompanied with love, esteem, or approbation.
2.
A cause of wonder; that which excites surprise; a strange thing; a prodigy; a miracle.
“ Babylon, the wonder of all tongues.”
Milton.
To try things oft, and never to give over, doth
wonders
.
Bacon.
I am as a
wonder
unto many.
Ps. lxxi. 7.
Seven wonders of the world
.
See in the Dictionary of Noted Names in Fiction.

Won′der

,
Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Wondered
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Wondering
.]
[AS.
wundrian
.]
1.
To be affected with surprise or admiration; to be struck with astonishment; to be amazed; to marvel.
I could not sufficiently
wonder
at the intrepidity of these diminutive mortals.
Swift.
We cease to
wonder
at what we understand.
Johnson.
2.
To feel doubt and curiosity; to wait with uncertain expectation; to query in the mind;
as, he
wondered
why they came
.
I
wonder
, in my soul,
What you would ask me, that I should deny.
Shakespeare

Won′der

,
Adj.
Wonderful.
[Obs.]
Gower.
After that he said a
wonder
thing.
Chaucer.

Won′der

,
adv.
Wonderfully.
[Obs.]
Chaucer.

Webster 1828 Edition

Wonder

WONDER

,
Noun.
[G., Gr., to show; and hence a sight; a panic.]
1.
That emotion which is excited by novelty, or the presentation to the sight or mind, of something new, unusual, strange, great, extraordinary, or not well understood; something that arrests the attention by its novelty, grandeur or inexplicableness. Wonder expresses less than astonishment, and much less than amazement. It differs from admiration, in not being necessarily accompanied with love, esteem or approbation, nor directed to persons. But wonder sometimes is nearly allied to astonishment, and the exact extent of the meaning of such words can hardly be graduated.
They were filled with wonder and amazement. Acts 3.
Wonder is the effect of novelty upon ignorance.
2.
Cause of wonder; that which excites surprise; a strange thing; a prodigy.
To try things oft, and never to give over, doth wonders.
I am as a wonder to many. Psalm 71.
3.
Any thing mentioned with surprise.
Babylon, the wonder of all tongues.
Wonders of the world. The seven wonders of the world were the Egyptian pyramids, the Mausoleum erected by Artemisia, the temple of Diana at Ephesus, the walls and hanging gardens of Babylon, the colossus at Rhodes, the statue of Jupiter Olympius, and the Pharos or watch-tower of Alexandria.
4.
A miracle. Exodus 3.

WONDER

,
Verb.
I.
To be affected by surprise or admiration.
I could not sufficiently wonder at the intrepidity of these diminutive mortals.
We cease to wonder at what we understand.

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