Meaning of on a wonder | Babel Free

Definitions

Bewildered, perplexed.

US, colloquial

Examples

“1836, John Mason Peck, letter to college treasurer Dr. Haskell, cited in Austen Kennedy de Blois, The Pioneer School, New York: Fleming H. Revell, Chapter 4, p. 70, I have⟳ taken responsibility in this matter⟳ and made a bargain, in which I doubt⟳ not every trustee will concur. As I like⟳ to put⟳ you all on a wonder⟳ I will not be very particular now—but only observe⟳ that Divine Providence has already more than answered our expectations.”

“1907, United States Senate, Hearings before the Committee on Military Affairs concerning the Affray at Brownsville, Texas, on the night of August 13 and 14, 1906, Washington: Government Printing Office, p. 406, Q. Have⟳ you ever heard of any conspiracy, or any agreement among the men, to not tell⟳ about it?—A. No, Sir Q. Or to hide⟳ knowledge of it?—A. No, sir. The most that I have⟳ heard among the men, everybody was on a wonder⟳ as to who it was that did do it, did do the shooting.”

“It was bad enough for white people, but when one of your own⟳ color could be so different it put⟳ you on a wonder⟳. It was like⟳ seeing your sister turn⟳ into a ’gator.”

“This is me! Johnny Earthquake! I rassle with light’nin, put⟳ a cap on thunder! Set⟳ every mammy-jammer in the graveyard on a wonder⟳!”

“1993, David Edwards, interviewed in Alan Lomax, The Land⟳ Where the Blues Began, New York: Pantheon, p. 402, Just continually changing like⟳ that, catching different trains, I get⟳ one or two thousand miles away from home and I get⟳ the blues and it put⟳ me on a wonder⟳.”

CEFR level