Surprisal

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Surprisal \Sur*pris"al\, n. [See {Surprise}, n.]
     The act of surprising, or state of being surprised; surprise.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           How to secure the lady from surprisal.   --Milton.
     [1913 Webster]


  
           Because death is uncertain, let us prevent its
           surprisal.                               --Barrow.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  surprisal
       n : the act of surprising someone [syn: {surprise}]