shell shock
To stun or debilitate as by a shockTo stun or debilitate as by a shock.
» We were both shell-shocked.
CM · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FRMeaning
1 senses(figuratively)To stun or debilitate as by a shock.
Examples
4 sentencesWe were both shell-shocked.
The shell-shocked soldier sat silently, lost in his memories.
Mary was completely shell-shocked after Tom dressed her down for being late for the meeting.
ruМэри была совершенно потрясена, когда Том устроил ей разнос из-за опоздания на встречу. — odexed
Shell shock is a combination of psychological and physical disorders observed in some soldiers during the First World War.
Origin
Well attested during World War I. Attempts to find attestations that predate that war seemWell attested during World War I. Attempts to find attestations that predate that war seem fruitless. The ambiguity of reference to a range of phenomena, from physical concussion due to the explosively loud noise of artillery fire (on both the sending and receiving ends) to psychological reactions to violence and maiming, was present in the term's use from the start. In 21st-century wars there is continued evidence that long, close exposure to the noise of artillery can cause traumatic brain injury even in soldiers who did not take incoming artillery fire. But most discussions of shell shock in World War I concerned combat stress as well.
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
shell shocks, shell shocking, shell shocked, shell shocked| Base form | shell shock · to shell shock |
|---|---|
| 3rd person singular | shell shocks |
| Present participle | shell shocking |
| Past simple | shell shocked |
| Past participle | shell shocked |
regular
Word family
1 related wordsLessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, irregular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle