The expression “coffee break” was first attested in 1952 in glossy magazine advertisements by the Pan-American Coffee Bureau.
SURPRISING
surprising
(adjective) causing surprise or wonder or amazement; “the report shows a surprising lack of hard factual data”; “leaped up with surprising agility”; “she earned a surprising amount of money”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Verb
surprising
present participle of surprise
Adjective
surprising (comparative more surprising, superlative most surprising)
Causing surprise.
Synonyms
• astonishing, unexpected
Noun
surprising (plural surprisings)
A situation in which somebody is surprised.
Source: Wiktionary
Sur*pris"ing, a.
Definition: Exciting surprise; extraordinary; of a nature to excite wonder and astonishment; as, surprising bravery; a surprising escape from danger.
– Sur*pris"ing*ly, adv.
– Sur*pris"ing*ness, n.
Syn.
– Wonderful; extraordinary; unexpected; astonishing; striking.
SURPRISE
Sur*prise", n. Etym: [F. surprise, fr. surprendre, surpris; sur over + prendre to take, L. prehendere. See Sur-, and Prehensile.]
1. The act of coming upon, or taking, unawares; the act of seizing unexpectedly; surprisal; as, the fort was taken by surprise.
2. The state of being surprised, or taken unawares, by some act or event which could not reasonably be foreseen; emotion excited by what is sudden and strange; a suddenly excited feeling of wonder or astonishment. Pure surprise and fear Made me to quit the house. Shak.
3. Anything that causes such a state or emotion.
4. A dish covered with a crust of raised paste, but with no other contents. [Obs.] King. Surprise party, a party of persons who assemble by mutual agreement, and without invitation, at the house of a common friend. [U.S.] Bartlett.
Syn.
– Wonder; astonishment; amazement.
Sur*prise", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Surprised; p. pr. & vb. n. Surprising.] Etym: [From Surprise, n.: cf. F. surprendre, p.p. surpris.]
1. To come or fall suddenly and unexpectedly; to take unawares; to seize or capture by unexpected attack. Fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Isa. xxxiii. 14. The castle of Macduff I will surprise. Shak. Who can speak The mingled passions that surprised his heart Thomson.
2. To strike with wonder, astonishment, or confusion, by something sudden, unexpected, or remarkable; to confound; as, his conduct surprised me. I am surprised with an uncouth fear. Shak. Up he starts, Discovered and surprised. Milton.
3. To lead (one) to do suddenly and without forethought; to bring (one) into some unexpected state; -- with into; as, to be surprised into an indiscretion; to be surprised into generosity.
4. To hold possession of; to hold. [Obs.] Not with me, That in my hands surprise the sovereignity. J. Webster.
Syn.
– See Astonish.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
Recent Word Finds
Word of the Day
18 May 2025
OBLIQUE
(adjective) slanting or inclined in direction or course or position--neither parallel nor perpendicular nor right-angled; “the oblique rays of the winter sun”; “acute and obtuse angles are oblique angles”; “the axis of an oblique cone is not perpendicular to its base”
Coffee Trivia
