The 1980s is a much maligned era, but it does have one outstanding achievement. Gobsmacked.
Is it surprising to hear that, according to the Oxford Dictionaries, gobsmacked only came into being in this noteworthy but otherwise unvirtuous era? That along with shoulder pads, big hair, bright glitter make-up and Gordon “greed is good” Gekko, we also came up with something so gobsmackingly good?
It is one of those words that perhaps you accept unthinkingly. It is the perfect and natural description of someone being “utterly astonished; astounded”. We all know this. But if you take the time to reflect that one step further, a deeper truth swirls to the surface. It is the real root of this word that makes it a little bit special and actually very evocative. Because of course it means to literally smack your gob in surprise. As in: “from gob + smack … to clap a hand to one’s mouth in astonishment”. Which, when you think about it, is exactly what you do when you are astonished by something.
And yes “gob” is a real word, meaning mouth, coming from the mid-16th century, possibly from Scottish Gaelic, according to the Oxford Dictionaries.
It is only a puzzle as to why it was not until the 1980s that this fabulous term was coined. I mean, why be shocked when you can be gobsmacked? One warning, it is defined as “informal” so it might not make it into your next report to parliament, but it is there to be used with aplomb in everyday life.
So next time you are gobsmacked, take the time and the chance to use this wonderfully evocative word and say it out loud from behind the palm of your hand. “Well, I am gobsmacked!”
Definition of gobsmacked
adjective
British informal
utterly astonished; astounded: the locals were gobsmacked when us lot trooped in
Derivatives
gobsmacking
adjective
Origin: 1980s: from gob + smack, with reference to being shocked by a blow to the mouth, or to clapping a hand to one’s mouth in astonishment.
Definition source: The Oxford Dictionaries