surprise
surprise — noun
1. Something that happens that you did not expect to happen — for example, a party
Something that happens that you did not expect to happen — for example, a party arranged for you without your knowledge, or a sudden piece of news that changes your plans.
The party was a complete surprise — Linh had no idea her friends were planning it.
collocation: complete surprise
A surprise awaited the children when they opened the classroom door.
The election result came as a surprise to most people in the country.
Meera loves surprises, so her family plans something special every birthday.
It was a nice surprise to find a handwritten letter in the mailbox.
- shock
stronger and more negative; implies sudden upset
- bolt from the blue
idiomatic, dramatic, and less common in everyday speech
- expectation
what you believe will happen, rather than what you do not see coming
用法筆記
Often used in the pattern 'come as a surprise (to someone)' or 'be a surprise'.
常見錯誤
2. The emotional reaction you have — often a mix of shock, curiosity, or pleasure —
The emotional reaction you have — often a mix of shock, curiosity, or pleasure — when something unexpected happens.
To her surprise, Dahlia found the exam much easier than she had expected.
pattern: to [possessive] surprise
Heather gasped in surprise when she saw the sunset over the desert.
A look of surprise crossed the teacher's face when the shy student answered first.
Much to everyone's surprise, the small team won the first prize.
His voice was full of surprise as he read the results on the screen.
- astonishment
stronger and more formal
- amazement
suggests wonder and admiration rather than shock
- shock
more negative; suggests upset or disturbance
- expectation
a calm feeling that something will happen
- predictability
the quality of being expected and ordinary
用法筆記
Common in fixed phrases such as 'to someone's surprise', 'in surprise', and 'much to someone's surprise'. This sense is uncountable — do not say 'a surprise' when you mean the feeling.
常見錯誤
surprise — verb
1. To cause someone to feel the emotion of surprise — usually by doing or saying so
To cause someone to feel the emotion of surprise — usually by doing or saying something they did not expect, such as arriving early, giving an unexpected gift, or sharing news that goes against what they believed.
It surprised Antonia to learn that her old school had closed down.
pattern: it surprises [object] to-infinitive
The results of the test surprised everyone in the laboratory.
What surprised me most was how kind the strangers were.
Does it surprise you that many people prefer working from home?
The news surprised Ilan so much that he dropped his coffee cup.
- expect
to think something will happen, so you are not surprised
文法句型
surprise + object
surprise + object + that-clause
it surprises + object + to-infinitive
it surprises + object + wh-clause
用法筆記
Frequently used in impersonal constructions: 'it surprises someone that/to/when...' and 'what surprises someone is...'.
常見錯誤
2. To come upon someone who is completely unprepared — whether by stumbling across
To come upon someone who is completely unprepared — whether by stumbling across them doing something hidden, or by launching an attack with no advance warning.
The security guard surprised two people trying to climb over the fence.
pattern: surprise [object] + -ing verb
A sudden snowstorm surprised the hikers on the mountain.
Nkechi came home early and surprised a stranger in the kitchen.
The army surprised the enemy camp at dawn and captured the position.
Paloma opened the door and surprised her brother while he was reading her notes.
- warn
to tell someone in advance so they are prepared
文法句型
surprise + object
surprise + object + -ing verb
用法筆記
Often followed by an -ing clause describing the action the person was doing when caught. In military contexts, 'surprise' means to attack suddenly and without warning.