surprise definition

English surprise definition

Alternative forms

• surprize (US, rare)

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.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /səˈpɹaɪz/
• (General American) enPR: sərprīzʹ, IPA^(key): /sɚˈpɹaɪz/
• (General American, r-dissimilation) enPR: səprīzʹ, IPA^(key): /səˈpɹaɪz/
• Hyphenation: sur‧prise

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aɪz

Noun

surprise (countable and uncountable, plural surprises)

1. Something unexpected.

   It was a surprise to find out I owed twice as much as I thought I did.

   • 2012 September 7, Phil McNulty, “Moldova 0-5 England”, in BBC Sport:

     England were graphically illustrating the huge gulf in class between the sides and it was no surprise when Lampard added the second just before the half hour. Steven Gerrard found his Liverpool team-mate Glen Johnson and Lampard arrived in the area with perfect timing to glide a header beyond Namasco.

   • 2013, Daniel Taylor, Rickie Lambert’s debut goal gives England victory over Scotland (in The Guardian, 14 August 2013)[1]

     They had begun brightly but the opening goal was such a blow to their confidence it almost came as a surprise when Walcott, running through the inside-right channel, beat the offside trap and, checking back on to his left foot, turned a low shot beyond Allan McGregor in the Scotland goal.

   • 2016, VOA Learning English (public domain)

     Surprise! - A party! Awesome!

     Audio (US)

     (file)

   • 2021 October 20, “Stop & Examine”, in RAIL, number 942, page 71:

     She bought the model as a surprise gift for a friend who is a lifelong HST fan and railwayman, and who will soon be celebrating a milestone birthday.

3. The feeling that something unexpected has happened.

   Imagine my surprise on learning I owed twice as much as I thought I did.

   • 1963, Margery Allingham, “Eye Witness”, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, OCLC 483591931, page 249:

     The story struck the depressingly familiar note with which true stories ring in the tried ears of experienced policemen. […] The second note, the high alarum, not so familiar and always important since it indicates the paramount sin in Man’s private calendar, took most of them by surprise although they had been well prepared.

Synonyms

• (something unexpected): more than one bargained for
• (attributively: unexpected): unexpected
• (feeling): astonishment

Derived terms

• take by surprise
• surpriseful
• surpriseless

Translations

Verb

surprise (third-person singular simple present surprises, present participle surprising, simple past and past participle surprised)

1. (transitive) To cause (someone) to feel unusually alarmed or delighted by something unexpected.

   It surprises me that I owe twice as much as I thought I did.

2. (transitive) To do something to (a person) that they are not expecting, as a surprise.

   He doesn’t know that I’m in the country – I thought I’d turn up at his house and surprise him.

3. (intransitive) To undergo or witness something unexpected.

   He doesn’t surprise easily.

4. (intransitive) To cause surprise.
5. (transitive) To attack unexpectedly.
6. (transitive) To take unawares.
   • 1842, Letitia Elizabeth Landon, Lady Anne Granard, volume 1, page 112:

     "You were right," replied Isabella, "and I should not have surprised your confidence, had I not had something I wished to say. I know what you mean to do with Mr. Glentworth's gift—a marriage would scarcely be one without wedding-dresses—he has been equally generous to me, and you must keep the money till it is wanted, which, I hope, will be soon."

Synonyms

• (to come upon unexpectedly): overtake

Translations

Anagrams

• spurries, uprisers

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Dutch surprise definition

Etymology

Borrowed from French surprise.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sʏrˈpriːzə/

• Audio

  (file)

• Hyphenation: sur‧pri‧se
• Rhymes: -iːzə

Noun

surprise f (plural surprises, diminutive surprisetje n)

1. (Netherlands) a gift wrapped in an ingenious or creative manner; often given anonymously during Sinterklaas celebrations in a similar way to secret Santa
2. a surprise gift
3. (obsolete) a surprise

   Synonym: verrassing

Derived terms

• sinterklaassurprise

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French surprise definition

Etymology

From the feminine of surpris, past participle of the verb surprendre.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /syʁ.pʁiz/

• audio

  (file)

Participle

surprise f sg

1. feminine singular of the past participle of surprendre

   Je t’ai surprise en flagrant délit.

   I caught you in the act.

Adjective

surprise

1. feminine singular of surpris

Noun

surprise f (plural surprises)

1. surprise (something unexpected)

Derived terms

• ne pas être au bout de ses surprises
• quelle surprise

Further reading

• “surprise”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

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Middle French surprise definition

Noun

surprise f (plural surprises)

1. Alternative form of surprinse

Adjective

surprise

1. feminine singular of surpris

Verb

surprise

1. feminine singular of the past participle of surprendre