Meaning of Surprisal | Babel Free

Definitions

1. A surprise attack or ambush; a sudden or unexpected assault.
   countable, obsolete, uncountable
2. A sudden coming-upon someone or something unexpectedly or unawares.
   countable, obsolete, uncountable
3. A surprising event or occurrence.
   countable, obsolete, uncountable
4. The feeling caused by being surprised; surprise, shock, amazement.
   countable, obsolete, uncountable
5. An information measure as equal in bits (binary digits) to the base-2 log of 1 over the probability, with the result that the number of choices equals 2ⁿ where n is the number of bits.
   countable, uncountable

Equivalents

Examples

“Their chiefe attempts are by Stratagems, trecheries, or surprisals.”

“How to secure the lady from surprisal”

“Because death is uncertain, let us prevent its surprisal.”

CEFR level