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What is the difference between surprise and amaze?

surprise | amaze |

In obsolete terms the difference between surprise and amaze

is that surprise is a dish covered with a crust of raised pastry, but with no other contents while amaze is to terrify, to fill with panic.

In intransitive terms the difference between surprise and amaze

is that surprise is to cause surprise while amaze is to undergo amazement; to be astounded.

As nouns the difference between surprise and amaze

is that surprise is something not expected while amaze is amazement, astonishment.

As verbs the difference between surprise and amaze

is that surprise is to cause (someone) to feel unusually alarmed or delighted while amaze is to stupefy; to knock unconscious.

As an adjective surprise

is unexpected.

surprise

English

Alternative forms

* (l) (qualifier)

Noun

(en noun)
  • Something not expected.
  • * 2013 , Daniel Taylor, Rickie Lambert’s debut goal gives England victory over Scotland'' (in ''The Guardian , 14 August 2013)[http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/aug/14/england-scotland-international-friendly]
    • They had begun brightly but the opening goal was such a blow to their confidence it almost came as a surprise when Walcott, running through the inside-right channel, beat the offside trap and, checking back on to his left foot, turned a low shot beyond Allan McGregor in the Scotland goal.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2012, date=September 7, author=Phil McNulty, work=BBC Sport
    • , title= Moldova 0-5 England , passage=England were graphically illustrating the huge gulf in class between the sides and it was no surprise when Lampard added the second just before the half hour. Steven Gerrard found his Liverpool team-mate Glen Johnson and Lampard arrived in the area with perfect timing to glide a header beyond Namasco.}}
  • (attributive) Unexpected.
  • The feeling that something unexpected has happened.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)
    • , chapter=20 citation , passage=The story struck the depressingly familiar note with which true stories ring in the tried ears of experienced policemen.
  • (obsolete) A dish covered with a crust of raised pastry, but with no other contents.
    • (King)

    Synonyms

    * unexpected * (feeling) astonishment

    Derived terms

    * take by surprise

    Verb

    (surpris)
  • To cause (someone) to feel unusually alarmed or delighted.
    • It surprises me that I owe twice as much as I thought I did.
  • To do something to (a person) that they are not expecting, as a surprise.
    • He doesn’t know that I’m in the country – I thought I’d turn up at his house and surprise him.
  • To undergo or witness something unexpected.
    • He doesn’t surprise easily.
  • To cause surprise.
  • To attack unexpectedly.
  • To take unawares.

    • Adjective

    (-)
  • Unexpected.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1913, author=
    • , title=Lord Stranleigh Abroad , chapter=4 citation , passage=“I came down like a wolf on the fold, didn’t I??? Why didn’t I telephone??? Strategy, my dear boy, strategy. This is a surprise attack, and I’d no wish that the garrison, forewarned, should escape. …”}} 1000 English basic words ----

    amaze

    English

    Verb

    (amaz)
  • (obsolete) To stupefy; to knock unconscious.
  • (obsolete) To bewilder; to stupefy; to bring into a maze.
  • * Shakespeare
    • a labyrinth to amaze his foes
  • (obsolete) To terrify, to fill with panic.
  • *, New York Review Books 2001, p.261:
    • [Fear] amazeth many men that are to speak or show themselves in public assemblies, or before some great personages […].
  • To fill with wonder and surprise; to astonish, astound, surprise or perplex.
    • He was amazed when he found that the girl was a robot.
  • * Bible, Matthew xii. 23
    • And all the people were amazed , and said, Is not this the son of David?
  • * Goldsmith
    • Spain has long fallen from amazing Europe with her wit, to amusing them with the greatness of her Catholic credulity.
  • To undergo amazement; to be astounded.

    • Related terms

    * amazing * amazement

    Noun

    (-)
  • * 1590 , (Edmund Spenser), The Faerie Queene , I.ii:
    • All in amaze he suddenly vp start / With sword in hand, and with the old man went [...].
  • * 1891 , (Mary Noailles Murfree), In the "Stranger People's" Country , Nebraska 2005, p. 103:
    • Shattuck looked at him in amaze .
  • * 1985 , (Lawrence Durrell), Quinx'', Faber & Faber 2004 (''Avignon Quintet ), p. 1361:
    • She took the proffered cheque and stared at it with puzzled amaze , dazed by her own behaviour.