STARTLE
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)
Meaning:
A sudden involuntary movement
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Synonyms:
startle; jump; start
Context example:
he awoke with a start
Hypernyms ("startle" is a kind of...):
inborn reflex; innate reflex; instinctive reflex; physiological reaction; reflex; 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)
• STARTLE (verb)
Meaning:
To stimulate to action
Classified under:
Verbs of feeling
Synonyms:
galvanise; galvanize; startle
Context examples:
..startled him awake / galvanized into action
Hypernyms (to "startle" is one way to...):
ball over; blow out of the water; floor; shock; stun; 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
Meaning:
Move or jump suddenly, as if in surprise or alarm
Classified under:
Verbs of walking, flying, swimming
Synonyms:
jump; startle; start
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 fight)
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
