"Flabbergasted"

       My Life's Little Instruction Calendar has advised me that if I'm given an award, I shouldn't act as if I don't deserve it.  "You need only express surprise and appreciation."  Sounded right to me.  I wondered what I'd say...

               "I'm flabbergasted.  Thank you."

       Then I wondered where "flabbergasted" came from.  Its first known use in print was 1772, and it means to be "overwhelmed with shock, surprise, or wonder."

       But what's the etymology?  Where's it from?

       Three of my good sources say "Origin Unknown."  Darn.  But etymonline.com says that in that 1772 article, "flabbergasted was mentioned (with bored)...as a new vogue word, perhaps from some dialect...likely an arbitrary formation from flabby or flapper and aghast."

       Good kinship here between "flabbergasted" and "gobsmacked" in my January 12, 2013 post!