Thesaurus: startle

Related headwords

Definitions

1. v. t. To move suddenly, or be excited, on feeling alarm; to start.
2. v. t. To excite by sudden alarm, surprise, or apprehension; to frighten suddenly and not seriously; to alarm; to surprise.
3. v. t. To deter; to cause to deviate.
4. n. A sudden motion or shock caused by an unexpected alarm, surprise, or apprehension of danger.
5. n. a sudden involuntary movement
6. v. to stimulate to action
7. v. move or jump suddenly, as if in surprise or alarm
8. To move suddenly, or be excited, on feeling alarm; to start. Why shrinks the soul Back on herself, and startles at destruction Addison. 1. To excite by sudden alarm, surprise, or apprehension; to frighten suddenly and not seriously; to alarm; to surprise. The supposition, at least, that angels do sometimes assume bodies need not startle us. Locke. 2. To deter; to cause to deviate. [R.] Clarendon. Syn. -- To start; shock; fright; frighten; alarm. A sudden motion or shock caused by an unexpected alarm, surprise, or apprehension of danger. After having recovered from my first startle, I was very well pleased with the accident. Spectator.
9. To move suddenly, or be excited, on feeling alarm; to start.Why shrinks the soul Back on herself, and startles at destructionAddison.
10. n:1/v:99 n. a sudden involuntary movement v. to stimulate to action v. move or jump suddenly, as if in surprise or alarm