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e; coming unexpectedly, or without the common preparation; immediate; instant; speedy. "O sudden wo!" Chaucer. "For fear of sudden death." Shak. Sudden fear troubleth thee. Job xxii. 10.

Suddenness; a sudden. [Scot.] On a suddenty, on a sudden. [Scot.] Sir W. Scott.

he mast; -- said of the sails, also of the ship when the sails are thus driven. (b) To be suddenly checked, baffled, or discomfited. Dickens.

To destroy the self-possession of; to confuse or confound, as by exciting suddenly a consciousness of guilt, mistake, or inferiority; to put to shame; to disconcert; to discomfit. Abashed, the devil stood, And felt how awful goodness is. Milton. He was a man whom no check could abash. Macaulay.

Without notice to prepare the mind for the event; sudden; hasty; unceremonious. "The cause of your abrupt departure." Shak.

A sudden breaking off; a violent separation of bodies. Woodward.

In an abrupt manner; without giving notice, or without the usual forms; suddenly.

Suddenness; unceremonious haste or vehemence; as, abruptness of style or manner.

falling; an event that takes place without one's foresight or expectation; an undesigned, sudden, and unexpected event; chance; contingency; often, an undesigned and unforeseen occurrence of an afflictive or unfortunate character; a casualty; a mishap; as, to die by an accident. Of moving accidents by flood and field.…

Continued pain, as distinguished from sudden twinges, or spasmodic pain. "Such an ache in my bones." Shak.

To awaken; to arouse. [Obs.] A man that waketh of his sleep He may not suddenly well taken keep Upon a thing, ne seen it parfitly Till that he be adawed verily. Chaucer.

The act of suddenly disturbing any one; an assault or attack. [Obs.]

To impress with sudden fear; to frighten; to alarm. Dreams affright our souls. Shak. A drear and dying sound Affrights the flamens at their service quaint. Milton.

Affright; the state of being frightened; sudden fear or alarm. [Archaic] Passionate words or blows . . . fill the child's mind with terror and affrightment. Locke.

A sudden attack; disturbance; broil. [R.] "These home alarms." Shak. Thy palace fill with insults and alarms. Pope.

An alarm from a real or threatened attack; a sudden attack; also, a bugle sound to give warning. "We have had an alert." Farrow. On the alert, on the lookout or watch against attack or danger; ready to act.

he condition of being amazed; bewilderment [Obs.]; overwhelming wonder, as from surprise, sudden fear, horror, or admiration. His words impression left Of much amazement. Milton.

A small ulcerous swelling, coming suddenly; also, a whitlow. [Obs.] Boucher.

Sudden diminution or loss of consciousness, sensation, and voluntary motion, usually caused by pressure on the brain.

A figure of speech in which the speaker breaks off suddenly, as if unwilling or unable to state what was in his mind; as, "I declare to you that his conduct -- but I can not speak of that, here."