surprise

[ ser-prahyz, suh- ]

verb (used with object)

, sur·prised, sur·pris·ing.

1. to strike or occur to with a sudden feeling of wonder or astonishment, as through unexpectedness:

   Her beauty surprised me.

2. to come upon or discover suddenly and unexpectedly:

   We surprised the children raiding the cookie jar.

3. to make an unexpected assault on (an unprepared army, fort, person, etc.).
4. to elicit or bring out suddenly and without warning:

   to surprise the facts from the witness.

5. to lead or bring unawares, as into doing something not intended:

   to surprise a witness into telling the truth.

noun

1. an act or instance of surprising or being surprised.
2. something that surprises someone; a completely unexpected occurrence, appearance, or statement:

   His announcement was a surprise to all.

3. an assault, as on an army or a fort, made without warning.
4. a coming upon unexpectedly; detecting in the act; taking unawares.

surprise

/ səˈpraɪz; səˈpraɪzɪdlɪ /

verb

1. to cause to feel amazement or wonder
2. to encounter or discover unexpectedly or suddenly
3. to capture or assault suddenly and without warning
4. to present with something unexpected, such as a gift
5. foll by into to provoke (someone) to unintended action by a trick, etc

   to surprise a person into an indiscretion

6. often foll by from to elicit by unexpected behaviour or by a trick

   to surprise information from a prisoner

noun

1. the act or an instance of surprising; the act of taking unawares
2. a sudden or unexpected event, gift, etc
3. the feeling or condition of being surprised; astonishment
4. modifier causing, characterized by, or relying upon surprise

   a surprise move

5. take by surprise
   1. to come upon suddenly and without warning
   2. to capture unexpectedly or catch unprepared
   3. to astonish; amaze

Derived Forms

• surˈprised, adjective
• surprisedly, adverb
• surˈpriser, noun
• surˈprisal, noun

Other Words From

• sur·pris·ed·ly [ser-, prahy, -zid-lee, -, prahyzd, -, s, uh, -], adverb
• sur·priser noun
• super·sur·prise noun
• unsur·prised adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of surprise¹

First recorded in 1425–75; (noun) late Middle English, from Anglo-French surpris(e), Middle French, past participle of surprendre, equivalent to sur- sur- ¹ + pris (masculine), prise (feminine), from Latin prēnsus, -sa, equivalent to prēndere, contracted variant of prehendere “to take” ( prehension ) + -tus, -ta past participle suffix; (verb) late Middle English surprisen, from Anglo-French surpris(e) (past participle), Middle French, as above

Word History and Origins

Origin of surprise¹

C15: from Old French, from surprendre to overtake, from sur- ¹+ prendre from Latin prehendere to grasp; see prehensile

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. take by surprise,
   1. to come upon unawares.
   2. to astonish; amaze:

      The amount of the donation took us completely by surprise.

More idioms and phrases containing surprise

see take by surprise .

Synonym Study

Surprise, astonish, amaze, astound mean to strike with wonder because of unexpectedness, strangeness, unusualness, etc. To surprise is to take unawares or to affect with wonder: surprised at receiving a telegram. To astonish is to strike with wonder by something unlooked for, startling, or seemingly inexplicable: astonished at someone's behavior. To amaze is to astonish so greatly as to disconcert or bewilder: amazed at such an evidence of stupidity. To astound is to so overwhelm with surprise that one is unable to think or act: astounded by the news.

Example Sentences

That Stone would slander the democratic, pro-Western, EuroMaidan revolution as a CIA coup is no surprise.

From The Daily Beast

His surprise marriage to theater director Sophie Hunter may have broken hearts, but the squeals of delight were even louder.

From The Daily Beast

The news came as a surprise even to fans of Gordon-Levitt, who was only photographed with McCauley for the first time last May.

From The Daily Beast

Postscript Of all the interviews I did Lee Marvin was by far the biggest surprise.

From The Daily Beast

To  my own surprise, last year I started a book club, which includes writers, editors and an agent.

From The Daily Beast

I was busy loading the piece when an exclamation of surprise from one of the men made me look up.

From Project Gutenberg

A flash of surprise and pleasure lit the fine eyes of the haughty beauty perched up there on the palace wall.

From Project Gutenberg

Great was the surprise of Alf at the honour and labour thus thrust upon him, but he did not shrink from it.

From Project Gutenberg

Vague murmurs of doubt and surprise reached the ears of two of the British magistrates.

From Project Gutenberg

To Harry's surprise, the soldier detailed to go with him proved to be a boy, not much older than himself.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• amazement
• astonishment
• awe
• bewilderment
• consternation
• curiosity
• disappointment
• jolt
• miracle
• revelation
• shock
• wonder