Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Language: Old English
Origin: steartlian 'to kick your legs about'

startle

 verb
     
start‧le [transitive]
to make someone suddenly surprised or slightly shocked:
Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you.
be startled to do something
I was startled to see Amanda.
—startled adjective:
a startled expression
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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