The public is not only nonplussed by rising prices but alsominussed.
1954 November 10, “Moving Van—CBS-TV Prexy’s Double Take In Electronic Age”, inVariety, volume196, number10, New York, N.Y.: Variety, Inc.,page40:
The bossman did an electrifying double take, hypoing his metabolism as the towering gent with the metallic shroud capared around the di[n]ing table. Van Valkenburg was nonplussed and completelyminussed, to say the least, until informed of the ruse, and then displayed his sense of humor by shaking the hard hand of the men encased in the silvery habiliments.
1972 December 24, Curtis L. Brown, “Prose on Parade: ‘I am minussed!’”, inView (Sunday Post-Crescent), Appleton, Wis.: Post-Corporation,page15, column 1:
“I amminussed”, said Alice as she stepped through the looking glass over the threshold of the 20th century. / “You mean to say you are nonplussed,” corrected the non-April hare.
1977, Keith Spence, “Television”, inArthur Jacobs, editor,British Music Yearbook: A Survey and Directory with Statistics and Reference Articles for 1977-78, 5th edition, London; New York, N.Y.:Bowker,→ISBN, part two (Survey and Statistics),page169:
Throughout 1976, televised music was in the doldrums; not only becalmed, but in what theOxford English Dictionary lucidly defines as ‘an intellectually nonplussed condition’. Yet, though nonplussed, it was not entirelyminussed.
1982 April, Ben Johnson, “Measure Ohms with Your Calculator? — yes, and accurately, too!”, in73 Magazine for Radio Amateurs, Peterborough, N.H.:73, Inc.,→ISSN,page30, column 2:
The shared pin in Table 1 is coincidentally a result of the matrixing of the keyboard; all keys are shared, but you won’t need the rest. Chances are if you are compelled to poke around looking for the needed ones, though, you’ll find at least half the others first (in which case, if I didn’t forewarn you, you might be non-plussed—minussed, even—to discover all these funny coincidences yourself).
He didn’t look so much nonplussed, as distinctlyminussed by the enthusiasm of my acquiescence.
1990,Anna Livia, “Lust and the Other Half”, inIncidents Involving Mirth, Portland, Ore.: Eighth Mountain Press,→ISBN,page26:
“[…] You’re going to tell me all about compulsory heterosexuality and the lesbian continuum. Then you’re going to say that the continuum belittles sex. You have decided to bore my pants off, which, I suppose, is one way to do it.” Rowena was nonplussed again. Well, to be honest, she was somewhatminussed.
‘[…] I don’t know much about Coleridge though, not really.’ For some reason I then added, ‘Notreelly.’ To round things off I then said, ‘Cock.’ They looked non-plussed. / I said, ‘Why isn’t non-plussedminussed? Or just nought?’ / ‘Minussed?Nought?’ / ‘You both lookminussed.’
‘[…] I’m so grateful, please come and . . .’ No, I couldn’t really invite them to dinner . . . I opened the boot and yanked out the carrier of wine. / ‘No. We can’t. Not allowed. Thank you, but no.’ / I stood there nonplussed.Minussed yet. ‘Am I allowed to give you a kiss?’
“[…] I like his musical talent.” / “Musical talent?” / Picka unlimbered his clavicles and played a brief merry tune. / “I-I-I have a talent too,” Adora said, evidently nonplussed, if not completelyminussed. “I can open Doors. The problem is, I can’t control where they lead.” She gestured, and a Door appeared in a nearby tree trunk.
