startle 表示使吃惊,使惊奇,但它有一个别的词不具备的意思,便是使吓一跳:Oh, child, how you startle me--I thought you were in the garden!还有startle可作不及物动词,意为惊跳,惊起:The horse startles easily. startle除了惊以来,还有表示吓的一层意思跟frighten scare相近。
stun 表示使震惊,使惊叹,使惊倒,从“惊”的程度上来说应该强于startle,另外stun的原义是使昏迷,把…打昏,所以startle是惊得跳起来,stun则是惊得倒下去:I was stunned to hear the news 还有stun也有一个别的词不具备的意思,便是使目瞪口呆,还有一个固定短语sutn sb.with questions,把某人问得张口结舌。不过stun只可作及物动词,不可作不及物动词。
amaze 是挺常用的词,表示使大为惊奇,使惊愕,使惊异,相较startle和stun似乎更侧重心理活动没有行动,还有amaze还可作不及物动词用,意思是表现出惊奇,引起惊异,His calmness continues to amaze.
不过上面的三个词都可以以ed和ing形式转化为形容词,句式也都是it startles/amazes/stuns sb; to startle/amaze/stun sb that/what/how; to startle/amaze/stun sb to know/find/hear/learn/see…
查辞典的过程中还发现同义词辞典中特别将amaze和astonish作了比较,If you are talking about sth that both surprises you and makes you feel ashamed, it is more ususal to use astonish.也就是说astonish表示又惊又羞的意思,而amaze则没有ashamed的意思。另外还有一个短语take sb aback也表示使大吃一惊,使震惊的意思,We were rather taken aback by her hostile reaction.但一般指不好的事,负面的消息。