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To comprise in, or reduce to, a summary; to present briefly. Chambers.

The act of surprising, or state of being surprised; surprise. How to secure the lady from surprisal. Milton. Because death is uncertain, let us prevent its surprisal. Barrow.

Exciting surprise; extraordinary; of a nature to excite wonder and astonishment; as, surprising bravery; a surprising escape from danger. -- Sur*pris"ing*ly, adv. -- Sur*pris"ing*ness, n.

years . . . swooned first away for pain. Dryden. He seemed ready to swoon away in the surprise of joy. Tatler.

An agent of a corporation, or of any body of men engaged in a business enterprise; an advocate or patron; an assignee.

A division of monotremes which comprises the spiny ant-eaters of Australia and New Guinea. See Illust. under Echidna.

The division of cestode worms which comprises the tapeworms. See Tapeworm.

ide a horse. -- To take in. (a) To inclose; to fence. (b) To encompass or embrace; to comprise; to comprehend. (c) To draw into a smaller compass; to contract; to brail or furl; as, to take in sail. (d) To cheat; to circumvent; to gull; to deceive. [Colloq.] (e) To admit; to receive; as, a leaky vessel will take in wa…

The body of the Jewish civil and canonical law not comprised in the Pentateuch.

elliptical sentence to introduce a dependent sentence expressing a wish, or a cause of surprise, indignation, or the like. Ha, cousin Silence, that thou hadst seen that that this knight and I have seen! Shak. O God, that right should thus overcome might! Shak.

Of or pertaining to a theorem or theorems; comprised in a theorem; consisting of theorems.

pendages, either bent beneath the body to form a spring, or projecting as bristles. It comprises the Cinura, or bristletails, and the Collembola, or springtails. Called also Thysanoura. See Lepisma, and Podura.

Titanic. The Titan physical difficulties of his enterprise. I. Taylor.

A suborder of Neuroptera usually having the wings covered with minute hairs. It comprises the caddice flies, and is considered by some to be a distinct order.

A division of chelonians which comprises Trionyx and allied genera; -- called also Trionychoides, and Trionychina.

h place, our sanctuary, our hill. Milton. At unaware, or At unawares, unexpectedly; by surprise. He breaks at unawares upon our walks. Dryden. So we met In this old sleepy town an at unaware. R. Browning.

awkward; boorish; as, uncouth manners. "Uncouth in guise and gesture." I. Taylor. I am surprised with an uncouth fear. Shak. Thus sang the uncouth swain. Milton.

I have moved already Some certain of the noblest-minded Romans To undergo with me an enterprise. Shak.

To be apprised, or have information, of; to learn; to be informed of; to hear; as, I understand that Congress has passed the bill.

any business, work, or project which a person engages in, or attempts to perform; an enterprise.