SURPRISE


Meaning of SURPRISE in English

■ noun

1》 a feeling of mild astonishment or shock caused by something unexpected.

2》 an unexpected or astonishing thing.

3》 [as modifier ] Bell-ringing denoting a complex method of change-ringing: ~ major.

■ verb

1》 cause to feel ~.

2》 capture, attack, or discover suddenly and unexpectedly.

Phrases

take someone/thing by ~ attack or capture someone or something unexpectedly.

↘( take someone by ~ ) happen unexpectedly to someone.

Derivatives

~d adjective

~dly adverb

surprising adjective

surprisingly adverb

surprisingness noun

Origin

ME (in the sense 'unexpected seizure or attack'): from OFr., feminine past participle of surprendre , from med. L. superprehendere 'seize'.

Concise Oxford English vocab.      Сжатый оксфордский словарь английского языка.