startle
/ˈstɑɹt(ə)l/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.69 in modern English
7
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
To excite by sudden alarm, surprise, or apprehension; to frighten suddenly and not seriously; to alarm; to surprise.
Transitive verb
noun
A sudden motion or shock caused by an unexpected alarm, surprise, or apprehension of danger.
Example Sentences
- "a horse that startles easily"
- "Why shrinks the soul / Back on herself, and startles at destruction?"
- "He felt, too, that he was acting unjustly by Ethel: he had allowed a fortnight to elapse—he startled when he numbered up the days; it is strange how we allow them to glide imperceptibly away."
- "The supposition, at least, that angels do sometimes assume bodies need not startle us."
- "Nothing could startle her, make her scold or make her cry. She did not complain, she did not rebel."
- "The high voice in the night air startled me. Without thinking, I started to run. Then stopped. I spun around, my heart heaving against my chest. And saw a boy. About my age."
Etymology
From Middle English startlen, stertlen, stertyllen (“to rush, stumble along”), from Old English steartlian (“to kick with the foot, struggle, stumble”), equivalent to start + -le. Cognate with Old Norse stirtla (“to hobble, stagger”), Icelandic stirtla (“to straighten up, erect”). Compare also Middle English stertil (“hasty”). More at start.
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈstɑɹt(ə)l/
- British English: /ˈstɑːt(ə)l/