Concussed

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The state of suffering from a brain injury caused by a blow or jolt to the head is recognized as being affected in this manner
2. Being under the influence of a brain trauma that causes impairment or short-term symptoms related to cognitive function is defined as this condition
3. Having received a blow or jolt severe enough to cause temporary brain dysfunction

Etymology: "Concussed" is the past tense and past participle of "concuss," a verb that arrived in English from Latin with a fairly literal sense: to shake violently. The Latin verb "concutere" combined "con-," an intensifying prefix, with "quatere," meaning to shake or strike, so the original idea was a forceful jolt rather than anything specific to the head. The shift to brain injury came later, as English speakers narrowed the sense to the particular kind of harm a hard blow to the skull could do. The past participle of the Latin verb, "concussus," gave English the form that now describes a person left dazed and temporarily impaired by such a blow.

Synonyms: injured, damaged

Antonyms: healed, whole