Definition of SURPRISE

surprise

Plural: surprises

Noun

  • the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
  • a sudden unexpected event
  • the act of surprising someone
  • Something unexpected.
  • Something unexpected.
  • A mess of feces, left by a pet or small child in an unexpected place or at an unexpected time.
  • The feeling that something unexpected has happened.

Verb

Verb Forms: surprised, surprising, surprises

  • To cause to feel wonder, astonishment, or shock; to come upon unexpectedly.
  • cause to be surprised
    • "The news really surprised me"
  • come upon or take unawares
    • "She surprised the couple"
    • "He surprised an interesting scene"
  • attack by storm; attack suddenly
  • To cause (someone) to feel unusually alarmed or delighted by something unexpected.
  • To do something to (a person) that they are not expecting, as a surprise.
  • To undergo or witness something unexpected.
  • To cause surprise.
  • To attack unexpectedly.
  • To take unawares.

Intj

  • Drawing attention to a surprising action by oneself.
  • Sarcastically drawing attention to something that should have been obvious.

Examples

  • "Surprise!" we shouted as we jumped out from the cupboard. "Happy birthday!"
  • After the housecleaners drove off, the cat left a surprise for us on the carpet.
  • He doesn’t know that I’m in the country – I thought I’d turn up at his house and surprise him.
  • He doesn’t surprise easily.
  • His opponent’s sudden bingo with ’QUIXOTIC’ managed to surprise everyone watching.
  • Imagine my surprise on learning I owed twice as much as I thought I did.
  • It came as a surprise when he succeed.
  • It surprises me that I owe twice as much as I thought I did.
  • It was a surprise to find out I owed twice as much as I thought.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English surprise, borrowed from Middle French surprise (“an overtake”), nominal use of the past participle of Old French sorprendre (“to overtake”), from sor- (“over”) + prendre (“to take”), from Latin super- + Latin prendere, contracted from prehendere (“to grasp, seize”). Doublet of suppli.

Scrabble Score: 10

surprise: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
surprise: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
surprise: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 12

surprise: valid Words With Friends Word