SUDDENLY

abruptly, suddenly, short, dead

(adverb) quickly and without warning; “he stopped suddenly”

suddenly, all of a sudden, of a sudden

(adverb) happening unexpectedly; “suddenly she felt a sharp pain in her side”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Adverb

suddenly (comparative more suddenly, superlative most suddenly)

Happening quickly and with little or no warning; in a sudden manner.

Synonyms

• all of a sudden

• without warning

Antonyms

• unsuddenly

Source: Wiktionary


SUDDEN

Sud"den, a. Etym: [OE. sodian, sodein, OF. sodain, sudain, F. soudain, L. subitaneus, fr. subitus sudden, that has come unexpectedly, p.p. of subire to come on, to steal upon; sub under, secretly + ire to go. See Issue, and cf. Subitaneous.]

1. Happening without previous notice or with very brief notice; coming unexpectedly, or without the common preparation; immediate; instant; speedy. "O sudden wo!" Chaucer. "For fear of sudden death." Shak. Sudden fear troubleth thee. Job xxii. 10.

2. Hastly prepared or employed; quick; rapid. Never was such a sudden scholar made. Shak. The apples of Asphaltis, appearing goodly to the sudden eye. Milton.

3. Hasty; violent; rash; precipitate. [Obs.] Shak.

Syn.

– Unexpected; unusual; abrupt; unlooked-for.

– Sud"den*ly, adv.

– Sud"den*ness, n.

Sud"den, adv.

Definition: Suddenly; unexpectedly. [R.] Herbs of every leaf that sudden flowered. Milton.

Sud"den, n.

Definition: An unexpected occurrence; a surprise. All of a sudden, On a sudden, Of a sudden, sooner than was expected; without the usual preparation; suddenly. How art thou lost! how on a sudden lost! Milton. He withdrew his opposition all of a sudden. Thackeray.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



RESET




Word of the Day

16 March 2025

SUSPENDED

(adjective) (of undissolved particles in a fluid) supported or kept from sinking or falling by buoyancy and without apparent attachment; “suspended matter such as silt or mud...”; “dust particles suspended in the air”; “droplets in suspension in a gas”


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