Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - surprise

~1 n 1 »EVENT« an unexpected or unusual event  (Joan! What a lovely surprise to see you again! | surprise visit/announcement/attack etc)  (Let's pay grandma a surprise visit. | US forces launched a surprise attack on the Panamanian capital. | come as a surprise (to sb) (=happen unexpectedly))  (The news that George was leaving came as a surprise to everyone. | it came as no surprise (=you expected it would happen))  (It came as no surprise when Sarah announced she was pregnant. | there is a surprise in store for sb (=something unexpected is going to happen to them)) 2 »FEELING« the feeling you have when something unexpected or unusual happens  (Imagine my surprise when she told me she'd been married twice already. | get/have a surprise)  (Harwich police got a nasty surprise yesterday when someone left a suspected unexploded bomb inside the police station. | in/with surprise)  (She noticed with surprise the change in his appearance. | much to my surprise (=in a way that surprises you))  (Much to my surprise they offered me the job.) 3 take sb by surprise to happen unexpectedly  (The heavy snowfall had taken us all by surprise.) 4 take sb/sth by surprise to suddenly attack a place or an opponent when they are not ready  (Rebel forces took the town by surprise.) 5 »GIFT/PARTY ETC« C usually singular an unexpected present, trip etc which you give to someone or organize for them, often on a special occasion  (I've got a little surprise waiting for you at home. | Jim's organized a trip to the opera as a surprise for his mum.) 6 surprise guest/visitor etc someone who arrives somewhere unexpectedly 7 surprise! spoken used when you are just about to show someone something that you know will surprise them 8 a) surprise, surprise used when saying in a joking way that you expected something to happen or be true  (The American TV networks are - surprise, surprise, full of stories about the royal divorce.) b) spoken used when you suddenly appear in front of someone who you know is not expecting to see you 9 »METHOD« the use of methods which are intended to cause surprise  (an element of surprise)  (An element of surprise is important to any attack.) ~2 v 1 to make someone feel surprised  (Paul's news surprised her. | it surprises sb to see/find/know etc)  (It surprised them to see Jane up so early. | it doesn't surprise me)  ("Howard and Shari have split up." "I have to say it doesn't surprise me." | what surprises sb is)  (What surprised me most was that she didn't seem to care.)  (- see shock1) 2 to find, catch, or attack someone when they are not expecting it, especially when they are doing something they should not be doing  (surprise sb doing sth)  (A security guard surprised the burglars in the store room.)