Chiefly Sc. Obs. Also 5 -ice, -yce, 5–6 -is, -yse, 6 -yss. [a. AF., OF. suprise, var. of surprise SURPRISE sb. Cf. med.L. subprisia, suppris(i)a usurpation, extraordinary impost.]
1. Injury, wrong, outrage, oppression.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., VII. 2132 (MS. Wemyss). Þare he … lesit all his noble name. Thare fell ane of his floure de lice, To do his fallow sic suppris. Ibid., VIII. 4902. With his ost, quhare he ourraid, Gret suppris [MS. Cott. wastynge] in þe cuntre he maid.
1442. Extr. Aberd. Reg. (1844), I. 7. The supprise that Master John of Caydow did in the outtakyn of Adam of Hillis net.
c. 1470. Harding, Chron. CLXXXIX. iii. (MS. Ashm. 34), lf. 147. Wiþ oute suppryce [v.r. supprise] or any extorcion Of þe porayle.
c. 1500. Lancelot, 691. For to tell … his gret distresse Of presone and of loues gret suppris, It war to long.
1500–20. Dunbar, Poems, lxxxiv. 49. Substance with honour doing nane suppryss.
2. Surprise, unexpected attack.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, VIII. 694. Yhe wyrk nocht as the wys, Gyff that ye tak the awnter of supprice.
c. 1500. Lancelot, 3479. We ned no more to dreding of suppris; We se the strenth of al our ennemys.
3. Conquest, defeat.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., VI. 1749 (MS. Wemyss). He persauit in þat fycht At he wes neire a supprice sone.
