startle
/ˈstɑɹt(ə)l/ verb B2- To move suddenly, or be excited, on feeling alarm; to start. · a horse that startles easily
- To excite by sudden alarm, surprise, or apprehension; to frighten suddenly and not seriously; to alarm; to surprise.
He/she/it startles · Past startled · Past participle startled · -ing form startling
Verb forms
- Base form
- startle
- He/she/it
- startles
- Past
- startled
- Past participle
- startled
- -ing form
- startling
From the library
When Dorothy, who was an orphan, first came to her, Aunt Em had been so startled by the child’s laughter that she would scream and press her hand upon her heart whenever Dorothy’s merry voice reached her ears; and she still looked at the little girl with wonder that she could find anything to laugh at.
The scene of the previous night now came back to his mind with startling clearness.
When she had finished her meal, and was about to go back to the road of yellow brick, she was startled to hear a deep groan near by.
She knelt there, lost to everything but the loveliness around her, until she was startled by a hand on her shoulder.
Other matches
Learn startle in real texts
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