consternate (v.)

"to throw into confusion," 1650s, from Latin consternatus, past participle of consternare "overcome, confuse, dismay, perplex, terrify, alarm," probably related to consternere "throw down, prostrate," from assimilated form of com-, here probably an intensive prefix (see com-), + sternere "to spread out, lay down, stretch out," from nasalized form of PIE root *stere- "to spread."