/kon"steuhr nayt'/ , v.t., consternated, consternating .
to dismay, confuse, or terrify.
[ 1645-55; consternatus, ptp. of consternare to unsettle, throw into confusion, perh. intensive deriv. of consternere to cover, spread (with) ( con- CON- + sternere to STREW; cf. STRATUM), though sense development uncert. ]