Verb | Shock / Sudden Astonishment
Encyclopedia of British Slang
GOBSMACK
Verb | Mild | Shock / Sudden Astonishment
GOBSMACK Pronunciation: /’g?b-smk/ Part of Speech: Verb Severity Level: Mild Category: Shock / Sudden Astonishment
Core Definition
To gobsmack means:
To astonish completely
To shock into silence
To stun verbally
It is the verb form of gobsmacked.
Linguistic Origins
Built from gob (mouth) and smack (to strike).
The imagery suggests someone being metaphorically struck in the mouth and rendered speechless.
It gained popularity in 20th-century British slang.
Usage Contexts
News:
That gobsmacked me.
Achievement:
I was gobsmacked.
Betrayal:
Completely gobsmacked.
It signals sudden surprise.
Emotional Register
Gobsmack carries dramatic energy.
But retains humour.
It avoids profanity.
Tone Variations
Excited:
Gobsmacked!
Serious:
It gobsmacked him.
Reflective:
Left me gobsmacked.
Tone directs intensity.
Comparison with Related Terms
Stun neutral
Shock broader
Flabbergast theatrical
Gobsmack physical metaphor
Gobsmack feels vivid.
Psychological Function
Gobsmack dramatizes emotional impact.
It makes surprise physical.
Cultural Insight
British slang often turns emotional reactions into bodily metaphors.
Gobsmack is a prime example.
Final Assessment
Gobsmack is:
Vivid
Physical
Dramatic
Expressive
It captures shock.
With impact.
Gobsmack.
EXPANDED ENTRY 174
Alan Nafzger was born in Lubbock, Texas, the son Swiss immigrants. He grew up on a dairy in Windthorst, north central Texas. He earned degrees from Midwestern State University (B.A. 1985) and Texas State University (M.A. 1987). University College Dublin (Ph.D. 1991). Dr. Nafzger has entertained and educated young people in Texas colleges for 37 years. Nafzger is best known for his dark novels and experimental screenwriting. His best know scripts to date are Lenin’s Body, produced in Russia by A-Media and Sea and Sky produced in The Philippines in the Tagalog language. In 1986, Nafzger wrote the iconic feminist western novel, Gina of Quitaque. Contact: editor@prat.uk
