Definition of "surprise"

surprise

/səˈpɹaɪz/

noun
countable and uncountable, plural surprises
1. Something unexpected.
  Quotations
  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! Audio (US)(file)
  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. A mess of feces, left by a pet or small child in an unexpected place or at an unexpected time.
2. The feeling that something unexpected has happened.
  Quotations
  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, page 249
verb
third-person singular simple present surprises, present participle surprising, simple past and past participle surprised
1. (transitive) To cause (someone) to feel unusually alarmed or delighted by something unexpected.
2. (transitive) To do something to (a person) that they are not expecting, as a surprise.
3. (intransitive) To undergo or witness something unexpected.
4. (intransitive) To cause surprise.
5. (transitive) To attack unexpectedly.
6. (transitive) To take unawares.
  Quotations
  "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, page 112
interjection
1. Drawing attention to a surprising action by oneself.
2. Sarcastically drawing attention to something that should have been obvious.
  Quotations
  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)