startle Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a sudden involuntary movement
    jump; start.
    • he awoke with a start
  2. verb to stimulate to action
    galvanise; galvanize.
    • ..startled him awake
    • galvanized into action
  3. verb move or jump suddenly, as if in surprise or alarm
    jump; start.
    • She startled when I walked into the room

WordNet

Star"tle transitive verb
Etymology
Freq. of start.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Startled ; present participle & verbal noun Startling
Definitions
  1. To move suddenly, or be excited, on feeling alarm; to start.
    Why shrinks the soul Back on herself, and startles at destruction? Addison.
Star"tle transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To excite by sudden alarm, surprise, or apprehension; to frighten suddenly and not seriously; to alarm; to surprise.
    The supposition, at least, that angels do sometimes assume bodies need not startle us. Locke.
  2. To deter; to cause to deviate. R. Clarendon. Syn. -- To start; shock; fright; frighten; alarm.
Star"tle noun
Definitions
  1. A sudden motion or shock caused by an unexpected alarm, surprise, or apprehension of danger.
    After having recovered from my first startle, I was very well pleased with the accident. Spectator.

Webster 1913