in order to qualify as a candidate in the vote for potential awads, the potential candidate requires a qualifying thread. we know that it's fairly recent UK slang, first found in print around 1985, and the etymology is pretty obvious (smacked in the gob, or mouth); but does anyone get credit for coining this lovely word?

aside: Jackie, why didn't you tell us that you'd been cited in the OED?! I'm gobsmacked!!
1989 Jackie 25 Nov. 43/1 Won't they be gobsmacked when you tell
them that you wrote to me?