ghastness

English

Alternative forms

• gastness

Etymology

From Middle English gastnes, gastnesse, from gast, past participle of gasten (“to terrify”), equivalent to ghast +‎ -ness.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡæs(t)nəs/, /ˈɡɑːs(t)nəs/

Noun

ghastness (uncountable)

1. (archaic) Amazement; terror; fright; fear.
   • c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]:

     Look you pale, mistress?―Do you perceive the ghastness of her eye?