surprendre

Meaning

1. to surprise
2. to catch out
3. to overhear, to discover, to spot (an action or secret someone is trying to hide)

Concepts

surprise

astonish

startle

catch

take by surprise

amaze

sneak up on

astound

take unawares

come on suddenly

overhear

create a stir

frighten

detect

come across

discover

find

overtake

take in the act

by surprise

surprisingly

interrupt

surprisal

storm

astony

bewilder

flabbergast

stonish

Pronounced as (IPA)

/syʁ.pʁɑ̃dʁ/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle French surprendre, from Old French sorprendre. By surface analysis, sur- + prendre. In Old French sorprendre (“to overtake”) (formed from sor- (“over”); cf. modern French sur-) was distinguished from sousprendre (“to surprise, catch unaware (from beneath)”) (formed from sous- (“under”)); the two verbs later became one over time.

Sentences

Ma demande semble vous surprendre .

My request seems to surprise you.