sudden
/ˈsʌd.ən/ adjective, adverb, noun
Forms suddener suddenest suddens
- adjective Occurring quickly with little or no warning or expectation; instantly. “The sudden drop in temperature left everyone cold and confused.”
- adjective (obsolete) Hastily prepared or employed; quick; rapid.
- adjective (obsolete) Hasty; violent; rash; precipitate.
- adverb (poetic) Suddenly.
- noun (obsolete) An unexpected occurrence; a surprise.
Synonyms
abrupt hotheaded precipitous subitaneous impetuous impulsive precipitant precipitate spontaneous suddent
Antonyms
Etymology
From Middle English sodeyn, sodain, from Anglo-Norman sodein, from Old French sodain, subdain (“immediate, sudden”), from Vulgar Latin *subitānus (“sudden”), from Latin subitāneus (“sudden”), from subitus (“sudden", literally, "that which has come stealthily”), originally the past participle of subīre (“to come or go stealthily”), from sub (“under”) + īre (“go”). Doublet of subitaneous. Displaced native Old English fǣrlīċ.
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Happening without previous notice or with very brief notice; coming unexpectedly, or without the common preparation; immediate; instant; speedy. "O sudden wo!" Chaucer. "For fear of sudden death." Shak.
- adjective Hastly prepared or employed; quick; rapid.
- adverb Suddenly; unexpectedly. [R.]
- noun An unexpected occurrence; a surprise. All of a sudden, On a sudden, Of a sudden, sooner than was expected; without the usual preparation; suddenly.
Etymology [OE. sodian, sodein, OF. sodain, sudain, F. soudain, L. subitaneus, fr. subitus sudden, that has come unexpectedly, p.p. of subire to come on, to steal upon; sub under, secretly + ire to go. See Issue, and cf. Subitaneous.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “sudden”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details