surprise

surprise
—surprisedly /seuhr pruy"zid lee, -pruyzd"-, seuh-/, adv. —surpriser, n.
/seuhr pruyz", seuh-/, v., surprised, surprising, n.
v.t.
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.
n.
6. an act or instance of surprising or being surprised.
7. something that surprises someone; a completely unexpected occurrence, appearance, or statement: His announcement was a surprise to all.
8. an assault, as on an army or a fort, made without warning.
9. a coming upon unexpectedly; detecting in the act; taking unawares.
10. take by surprise,
a. to come upon unawares.
b. to astonish; amaze: The amount of the donation took us completely by surprise.
[1425-75; (n.) late ME < AF surpris(e), MF, ptp. of surprendre, equiv. to sur- SUR-1 + pris (masc.), prise (fem.) < L prensus, -sa, equiv. to prend(ere), contracted var. of prehendere to take (see PREHENSION) + -tus, -ta ptp. suffix; (v.) late ME surprisen < AF surpris(e) (ptp.), MF, as above]
Syn. 1. 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.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • surprise — [sər prīz′, sə prīz′] vt. surprised, surprising [ME surprysen < OFr surpris, pp. of sorprendre, to surprise, take napping < sur (see SUR 1) + prendre, to take (see PRIZE2)] 1. to come upon suddenly or unexpectedly; take unawares 2. to at …   English World dictionary

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