Surprise

Definition of surprise:

part of speech: verb

To take unawares; to attack without notice; as, to surprise the enemy; to strike with wonder by something sudden or unexpected; astonish; to lead to do something suddenly and unexpectedly: with into; as, to surprise a thief into admitting his guilt.

part of speech: verb

To come upon suddenly or unawares: to strike with wonder or astonishment: to confuse.

part of speech: noun

The act of coming upon or attacking unexpectedly; state of being taken unawares; a feeling excited by what is sudden and strange; wonder; astonishment; a sudden or unexpected event or fact.

part of speech: noun

Act of taking unawares: the emotion caused by anything sudden: amazement.

Usage examples for surprise:

• Then, as I started in surprise she added: 'I know nobody but you. "Cynthia Wakeham's Money", Anna Katharine Green.

• I asked, looking up in surprise "A Book of Ghosts", Sabine Baring-Gould.

• Durtal looked on him with surprise "En Route", J.-K. (Joris-Karl) Huysmans.

• The answer took both the man and the woman by surprise "A Little Wizard", Stanley J. Weyman.