| 释义 |
▪ I. surprising, vbl. n.1|səˈpraɪzɪŋ|
[f. surprise v. + -ing1.]
The action of the verb surprise.
1589(title) The Protestatyon of Martin Marprelat. Wherin not with standing the surprizing of the printer, he maketh it known vnto the world that he feareth, neither proud priest,..nor godlesse catercap. 1603Knolles Hist. Turks (1638) 89 To take occasion for the surprising of the Christians. 1615in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.) I. 168 Surprising and taking of forts. 1688Holme Armoury iii. xvi. (Roxb.) 97/1 To hinder an enimyes surprizeing of a gate, or stop him in his passage. 1889Athenæum 20 Apr. 498/3 Abductions and forced marriages,..stratagems and surprisings.
▪ II. † surprising, vbl. n.2 Obs. rare—1.
[f. sur- + prising, prizing vbl. n.1]
The action of setting an excessive price on something.
1583Stubbes Anat. Abus. ii. (1882) 36 In the surprising of their hides, they are worthy of reprehension. For that which they buy for ten shillings, they will hardly sell for twentie shillings.
▪ III. surˈprising, ppl. a.
[f. surprise v. + -ing2.]
1. Coming upon one unexpectedly; taking unawares; capturing by sudden attack; also, † overpowering.
1645Waller Apol. for having Loved before 2 They that never had the use Of the Grapes surprizing juyce. 1655Vaughan Silex Scint., Day of Judgem. ii, When all shall streame and lighten round, And with surprizing flames Both Stars and Elements Confound. 1665Boyle Occas. Refl. v. x. (1848) 335 The unwary Bird, while she is gazing upon that glittering Light..heedlessly gives into the Reach of the surprizing Nets.
2. Causing surprise or wonder by its unexpectedness; astonishingly wonderful.
1663Patrick Parab. Pilgr. xiii. (1687) 91 They can present you with a thousand Abrahams, and as many Josephs, whose adventures were so strange, that fiction is not able to invent any thing so surprising. 1687A. Lovell tr. Thevenot's Trav. i. b ij, It is a surprizing thing, that at the same time he could pursue his other Observations of the Countrey, and study the Languages. a1700Evelyn Diary 25 Oct. 1644, One of the lions leaped to a surprising height. 1726Butler Serm. Rolls vii. 125 There is a more surprizing Piece of Iniquity yet behind. 1850Scoresby Cheever's Whalem. Adv. Pref. (1858) 6 Certain surprising incidents herein recorded. 1908R. Bagot A. Cuthbert vi. 49 It was not..surprising if she had, comparatively early in life, developed a certain love of authority.
†b. Exciting admiration, admirable; occas. advb. Obs.
1580G. Harvey Let. to Spenser in Spenser's Poet. Wks. (1912) 627/1 The renowned, and surprizing, Archpoet Homer. 1648Boyle Seraph. Love (1660) 125 The neat and surprizing Characters and Flourishes of a Greek and Hebrew Bible curiously Printed. 1687A. Behn Lucky Chance i. i, Rise Cloris, charming Maid arise! And baffle breaking Day, Show the adoring World thy Eyes Are more surprizing Gay. a1700Evelyn Diary 3 Aug. 1654, The river running so delightfully under it, that it may passe for one of the most surprising seates one should meete with. 1831D. E. Williams Life Sir T. Lawrence I. 343 It is really a surprising portrait. |