STARTLE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does startle mean? 

• STARTLE (noun)
  The noun STARTLE has 1 sense:

1. a sudden involuntary movement

  Familiarity information: STARTLE used as a noun is very rare.

• STARTLE (verb)
  The verb STARTLE has 2 senses:

1. to stimulate to action

2. move or jump suddenly, as if in surprise or alarm

  Familiarity information: STARTLE used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• STARTLE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A sudden involuntary movement

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

jump; start; startle

Context example:

he awoke with a start

Hypernyms ("startle" is a kind of...):

inborn reflex; innate reflex; instinctive reflex; physiological reaction; reflex; reflex action; reflex response; unconditioned reflex (an automatic instinctive unlearned reaction to a stimulus)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "startle"):

startle reaction; startle response (a complicated involuntary reaction to a sudden unexpected stimulus (especially a loud noise); involves flexion of most skeletal muscles and a variety of visceral reactions)

Moro reflex; startle reflex (a normal reflex of young infants; a sudden loud noise causes the child to stretch out the arms and flex the legs)

flinch; wince (a reflex response to sudden pain)

Derivation:

startle (move or jump suddenly, as if in surprise or alarm)

• STARTLE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they startle    ... he / she / it startles   
Past simple: startled   
Past participle: startled   
-ing form: startling   

Sense 1

Meaning:

To stimulate to action

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Synonyms:

galvanise; galvanize; startle

Context example:

galvanized into action

Hypernyms (to "startle" is one way to...):

ball over; blow out of the water; floor; shock; take aback (surprise greatly; knock someone's socks off)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Somebody ----s somebody into V-ing something

Sentence examples:

The bad news will startle him
The good news will startle her

Sense 2

Meaning:

Move or jump suddenly, as if in surprise or alarm

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

jump; start; startle

Context example:

She startled when I walked into the room

Hypernyms (to "startle" is one way to...):

move (move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "startle"):

shy (start suddenly, as from fright)

boggle (startle with amazement or fear)

rear back (start with anger or resentment or in protest)

jackrabbit (go forward or start with a fast, sudden movement)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

startle (a sudden involuntary movement)

 Context examples 

"Oh, Jo, it's not so bad as that?" cried Laurie, with a startled face.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

He looked surprised and, as it seemed to me, a little startled at my remark.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

And while he talked, the girl looked at him with startled eyes.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

I dare say I looked a little startled.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

A cry of startled admiration went up.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

It was such an odd expression, coming apropos of nothing, that it quite startled me.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

This was the startling effect of the cessation of motion.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Anne was startled and confused; but after standing in a moment's suspense, was obliged, and not sorry to be obliged, to hurry away.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

The details were few and startling.

(The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

His skin, wherever it was exposed, was burnt by the sun; even his lips were black, and his fair eyes looked quite startling in so dark a face.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)