1 C1 neutral
To cause a person or animal to jump up suddenly due to fright or surprise
"The hiker startled up a pheasant hidden in the long grass."
separable
startle up
C1 neutral separable transitive/intransitive
To cause a person or animal to jump or move suddenly due to a fright or surprise, or to be startled into sudden movement
In plain English
To scare someone or something so much that they jump up suddenly
What does "startle up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 neutral
To jump or rise suddenly from a resting or sleeping position due to a sudden noise or fright
"She startled up from her chair when the phone rang in the dark."
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To startle (frighten) someone or something upward — causing them to jump up
Actually means
To scare someone or something so much that they jump up suddenly
Usage tip
Relatively rare and somewhat literary or archaic. Used both transitively (to startle something up) and intransitively (to startle up from a resting position). Common in descriptions of animals or birds being flushed from cover.
Words that pair with "startle up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
birds deer animal flock person sleeper
How to conjugate "startle up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
startle up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
startles up
he/she/it
Past simple
startled up
yesterday
Past participle
startled up
have + pp
-ing form
startling up
continuous
Hear "startle up" in the wild
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