surprise

plural surprises · alternative archaic surprize · alternative misspelling suprise

1. countableuncountableSomething unexpected.

   It came as a surprise when he succeed.

   5 more examples

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

   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.

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

   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.

   2013 August 14, Daniel Taylor, “Rickie Lambert’s debut goal gives England victory over Scotland”, in The Guardian

   Surprise! - A party! Awesome!

   2016, VOA Learning English (public domain)

   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.

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

   1. countableuncountableA mess of feces, left by a pet or small child in an unexpected place or at an unexpected time.

      After the housecleaners drove off, the cat left a surprise for us on the carpet.

2. countableuncountableThe feeling that something unexpected has happened.

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

   1 more example

   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.

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

   Synonyms: astonishment

present singular third person surprises · participle present surprising · participle past surprised · past surprised · alternative archaic surprize · alternative misspelling suprise

1. transitiveTo 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. transitiveTo do something to (a person) that they are not expecting, as a surprise.

   He surprised me with flowers on our anniversary.

   3 more examples

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

   My boss surprised me into admitting I left work early last week.

   We surprised ourselves by reaching the mountaintop in under two hours.

3. intransitiveTo undergo or witness something unexpected.

   He doesn’t surprise easily.

4. intransitiveTo cause surprise.
5. transitiveTo attack unexpectedly.

   Synonyms: overtake

6. transitiveTo take unawares.

   I surprised a raccoon scavenging through the garbage last night.

   1 more example

   "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."

   1838 (date written), L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter IX, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], published 1842, →OCLC, page 112

alternative archaic surprize · alternative misspelling suprise

1. Drawing attention to a surprising action by oneself.

   "Surprise!" we shouted as we jumped out from the cupboard. "Happy birthday!"

2. sarcasticDrawing attention to something that should have been obvious.

   When we add code modules, we will have an additional folder called (surprise!) Modules.

   2013, John Connell, Beginning Visual Basic 6 Database Programming, page 129

1. A number of places in the United States:
   1. A city in Maricopa County, Arizona, the largest place with this name.
   2. An unincorporated community in Jackson County, Indiana.
   3. A village in Butler County, Nebraska.
   4. A populated place in Greene County, New York.
   5. Former name of Surprise Station, California.