Now rare or Obs. Also 6 -ysall, 6–7 -isall, 7 -izall, 7–8 -izal. [f. SURPRISE v. + -AL.] The act of surprising or state of being surprised; something that surprises.
1. = SURPRISE sb. 1.
1591. Spenser, Virg. Gnat, 536. Laërtes sonne … boasts his good euent In working of Strymonian Rhæsus fall, And efte in Dolons subtile surprysall.
1611. Speed, Hist. Gt. Brit., VII. xvii. § 4. 289. The surprizal of these three Cities, Glocester, Bathe, and Cirencester.
1620. in Foster, Eng. Factories Ind. (1906), 222. Their to land our masters monies and goods, for whose surprizall the Portingalls fought.
1627. W. Sclater, Exp. 2 Thess. (1629), 111. The siege and surprisall of Ierusalem by Titus and Vespatian.
1634. Milton, Comus, 618. How to secure the Lady from surprisal.
1648. Eikon Bas., xxvi. 223. (heading) The Armies Surprisall of the King at Holmeby.
1757. Hume, Hist. Gt. Brit., II. ii. 192 (an. 1668). An insurrection was projected, together with a surprizal of the castle of Dublin.
1820. W. Irving, Sketch Bk. (1859), 213. Surrounded by hostile tribes, whose mode of warfare is by ambush and surprisal.
1865. Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., XVIII. iii. (1872), VII. 144. The Prussians … had nearly got into the place by surprisal.
2. = SURPRISE sb. 2; occas. sudden lapse (into).
1613. Purchas, Pilgrimage, IX. xiv. 745. One … who by the Sunnes surprisall, was turned into a Nightingale.
a. 1631. Donne, Serm., Gen. iii. 24 (1649), II. 442. Though the belly, the bowels of sin, in sudden surprisals, and ebullitions … of our concupiscencies, be subject to him [sc. the devil].
a. 1639. [see SUDDEN sb. 2].
1647. Sprigge, Anglia Rediv., II. ii. (1854), 76. A sudden surprisal of the tide called the Eager, where he very narrowly escaped drowning.
1667. Milton, P. L., V. 245. Least wilfully transgressing he pretend Surprisal, unadmonisht, unforewarnd.
1675. Owen, Indwelling Sin, iii. (1732), 27. His [sc. David’s] great surprizal into Sin was after … manifold Experiences of God.
1683. Kennett, trans. Erasm. on Folly (1709), 125. They will divert them with sport and mirth, lest they should … be damped with the surprizal of sober thoughts.
3. = SURPRISE sb. 3.
1660. Trial Regic., 18. I do desire some time to consider of it: for it is a great Surprisal.
1679. J. Goodman, Penit. Pard., III. vi. (1713), 388. It can be no surprisal to Almighty God who foreknows all things from the beginning.
1799. Mrs. J. West, Tale of Times, I. 89. My lady stopped his exordium … by one of those sweet surprisals in which … she abounded.
1843. Tait’s Mag., X. 188. It is usually a rather melancholy surprisal.
† 4. = SURPRISE sb. 4. Obs.
1652. Loveday, trans. Calprenede’s Cassandra, II. 96. In a rapture of joy, surprisall, and astonishment.
1674. in Phenix (1721), I. 297. It is easy to imagine how great the surprizal of our Embassador was, when they receiv’d this Answer.
a. 1814. Witness, II. iii. in New Brit. Theatre, I. 22. In the sad surprisal to behold, A thing so miserable human still.
