bartleby's WWD today (http://bartleby.com/61/74/F0277400.html):
foudroyant: ADJECTIVE: 1. Dazzling or stunning in effect. ETYMOLOGY: French, from present participle of foudroyer, to strike with lightning
(Honest count: who knew this one before reading this? Not I! )

What a wonderful compliment! "My dear, you look positively foudroyant in that dress tonight."

Perhaps some more words that deserve to be added to our vocabulary of compliment?

Dear Ken: I'm a certifiable curmudgeon, especially in terms used to describe feminine apparel. Foudroyant and even worse "stunning" suggest a disagreeable effect.

http://home.mn.rr.com/wwftd/def.htm#foudroyant

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Dear tsuwm: In looking at your list of "f"words, and seeing "frap" reminded me of frappé, which in New England is milk with ice cream beaten into it without accent on final "e", and pronounced to rhyme with "trap". A Boston nurse told me about a date with Mexican surgical resident, who in ice-cream parlor proudly ordered two chocolate craps.

"stunning" suggest[s] a disagreeable effect ??? dr. bill, on this particular one I'm going to disagree with you. But let's ask the ladies, who are after all the ultimate authories on what ladies consider complimentary.

Jacqulyn, you look absolutely stunning in red.

P.S. to tsuwm: Well, of course it's no surprise that you knew that word!

"stunning" suggest[s] a disagreeable effect.


I'm with you, Dr. Bill. From Merriam-Webster on-line:

stun
Function: transitive verb

1 : to make senseless, groggy, or dizzy by or as if by a blow : DAZE
2 : to shock with noise
3 : to overcome especially with paralyzing astonishment or disbelief

but if you read on, from Merriam-Webster on-line:
Main Entry: stun·ning
Function: adjective
Date: 1667
1 : causing astonishment or disbelief
2 : strikingly impressive especially in beauty or excellence


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Much as I appreciate your thoughts, I'd like to know what the women would perceive as a compliment. Because, tswum and faldage, I am extremely unlikely to ever tell either of you gentlemen that you look stunning in your red dress!

Believe me, Keiva, if you ever see me in a red dress you will be stunned. ;)

you will be stunned. ;)

but, dahling, I keep telling you that blue does nothing for your skin tones, yet will you listen...?

I'm with Mav, Faldage: I'd love to see you in a red dress!

A special AWAD production of Lysistrata with Faldage playing _______________________--foudroyantly! stunningly!

Best roles,
WilliamWordwright

okay - here's one chick-take on it all:
The first time I went to the ballet, I wore a new dress and did the whole make-up thing, and was most gratified when my beau at the time told me I looked stunning.

I think when someone tells you you're stunning it's generally meant as a compliment, and I don't know that I would ever take it another way. Isn't the goal occasionally to look so beautiful a man is left speechless? He's stunned, you're stunning.

ewein, you are stunning!

(lurking all day finally pays off!)

Thinking it over. Hmmmm .... I would consider "stunning" a compliment.
Considering further it came to me I was not told I was stunning until I was well out of my teens. Before that I had my share of compliments but ... do you think a teen could be stunning or does it take more poise - more maturity - to be a stunning woman. Stunning teen doesn't feel or sound right to me! As for these days I am delighted to hear "Lookin' good!"

I agree very few teens are stunning.

Let me clarify that, I would rarely call a teen, or a man stunning. And those men that are stunning are usually, as previously pointed out, wearing a dress.