sudden

Definitions

1. 1.2. Hastly prepared or employed; quick; rapid. Never was such a sudden scholar made. Shak. The apples of Asphaltis, appearing goodly to the sudden eye. Milton.
2. 2.Hasty; violent; rash; precipitate. [Obs.] Shak. -- Sud"den*ly, adv. -- Sud"den*ness, n.
3. 3.Suddenly; unexpectedly. [R.] Herbs of every leaf that sudden flowered. Milton.
4. 4.An unexpected occurrence; a surprise. All of a sudden, On a sudden, Of a sudden, sooner than was expected; without the usual preparation; suddenly. How art thou lost! how on a sudden lost! Milton. He withdrew his opposition all of a sudden. Thackeray.

Source: Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).

Synonyms

Related questions

• What does "sudden" mean?
• What is another word for "sudden"?

Reverse-dictionary questions

Definition-first questions whose answer is sudden.

• What is 2. Hastly prepared or employed; quick; rapid. Never was such a sudden scholar made. Shak. The apples of Asphaltis, appearing goodly to the sudden eye. Milton called?
• What is hasty; violent; rash; precipitate. [Obs.] Shak. -- Sud"den*ly, adv. -- Sud"den*ness, n called?
• What is suddenly; unexpectedly. [R.] Herbs of every leaf that sudden flowered. Milton called?