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Webster 1913 Edition

Surprise

Sur-prise′

,
Noun.
[F.
surprise
, fr.
surprendre
,
surpris
;
sur
over +
prendre
to take, L.
prehendere
. See
Sur-
, and
Prehensile
.]
1.
The act of coming upon, or taking, unawares; the act of seizing unexpectedly; surprisal;
as, the fort was taken by
surprise
.
2.
The state of being surprised, or taken unawares, by some act or event which could not reasonably be foreseen; emotion excited by what is sudden and strange; a suddenly excited feeling of wonder or astonishment.
Pure
surprise
and fear
Made me to quit the house.
Shakespeare
3.
Anything that causes such a state or emotion.
4.
A dish covered with a crust of raised paste, but with no other contents.
[Obs.]
King.
Surprise party
,
a party of persons who assemble by mutual agreement, and without invitation, at the house of a common friend.
[U.S.]
Bartlett.
Syn. – Wonder; astonishment; amazement.

Sur-prise′

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Surprised
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Surprising
.]
[From
Surprise
,
Noun.
: cf. F.
surprendre
, p. p.
surpris
.]
1.
To come or fall suddenly and unexpectedly; to take unawares; to seize or capture by unexpected attack.
Fearfulness hath
surprised
the hypocrites.
Isa. xxxiii. 14.
The castle of Macduff I will
surprise
.
Shakespeare
Who can speak
The mingled passions that
surprised
his heart?
Thomson.
2.
To strike with wonder, astonishment, or confusion, by something sudden, unexpected, or remarkable; to confound;
as, his conduct
surprised
me
.
I am
surprised
with an uncouth fear.
Shakespeare
Up he starts,
Discovered and
surprised
.
Milton.
3.
To lead (one) to do suddenly and without forethought; to bring (one) into some unexpected state; – with into;
as, to be
surprised
into an indiscretion; to be
surprised
into generosity
.
4.
To hold possession of; to hold.
[Obs.]
Not with me,
That in my hands
surprise
the sovereignity.
J. Webster.
Syn. – See
Astonish
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Surprise

SURPRISE

,
Verb.
T.
surpri'ze. [L. super, supra, and prendo, to take.]
1.
To come or fall upon suddenly and unexpectedly; to take unawares.
The castle of Macduff I will surprise.
Who can speak
The mingled passions that surpris'd his heart?
2.
To strike with wonder or astonishment by something sudden, unexpected or remarkable, either in conduct, words or story, or by the appearance of something unusual. Thus we are surprised at desperate acts of heroism, or at the narration of wonderful events, or at the sight of things of uncommon magnitude or curious structure.
3.
To confuse; to throw the mind into disorder by something suddenly presented to the view or to the mind.
Up he starts, discover'd and surpris'd.

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