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surprise

Syllabification: (sur·prise)
Pronunciation: /sə(r)ˈprīz/

Translate surprise | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of surprise

noun

  • 1an unexpected or astonishing event, fact, or thing:the announcement was a complete surprise
  • a feeling of mild astonishment or shock caused by something unexpected:much to her surprise, she’d missed him
  • [as modifier] denoting something made, done, or happening unexpectedly:a surprise attack
  • 2 [as modifier] Bell-ringing denoting a class of complex methods of change-ringing:surprise major

verb

[with object]
  • (of something unexpected) cause (someone) to feel mild astonishment or shock:I was surprised at his statement [with object and infinitive]:Joe was surprised that he enjoyed the journey [with infinitive]:she was surprised to learn that he was forty
  • capture, attack, or discover suddenly and unexpectedly; catch unawares:he surprised a gang stealing scrap metal

Phrases

surprise, surprise

informal said when giving someone a surprise.
said ironically when one believes that something was entirely predictable:we entrust you with Jason’s care and, surprise surprise, you make a mess of it

take someone/something by surprise

attack or capture someone or something unexpectedly.
(take someone by surprise) happen when someone is not prepared or is expecting something different:the question took David by surprise

Origin:

late Middle English (in the sense 'unexpected seizure of a place, or attack on troops'): from Old French, feminine past participle of surprendre, from medieval Latin superprehendere 'seize'

Spelling help

Remember that surprise has an r before and after the p. The ending is -ise.

surprise in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of surprise in the British & World English dictionary

Nearby words

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