ENGLISH
REFERENCE

daze

n.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈdeɪz// UK //dˈeɪz// daze

n. a state of confusion or being unable to think clearly, often after a shock or a blow to the head.

n. a state of mental confusion or disorientation, typically resulting from a physical trauma or a sudden shock.


SIMPLE

He was in a daze after the accident.

CONTEXTUAL

The witness was in a state of daze for several minutes following the explosion, unable to provide a coherent account of the events.

COMPLEX

The sudden shift in the mine's structural integrity left the workers in a collective daze, their instincts taking over as they scrambled for the nearest exit.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English, back-formation from dazed. Compare Old Norse dasask (“to become weary”), with reflexive suffix -sk, Swedish dasa (“lie idly”), and Icelandic dasask (“to make weary with cold”). Also compare Proto-Germanic *dusāną, to slumber. Alternatively from Middle Dutch dasen (“act silly”).

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