a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) II. xviii. xxx. 1178 He [sc. þe hert] fondeþ to ouerlepe many paas and starteleþ wiþ contrary lepynges and startelynges [L. per contrarios & ambiguos saltus], þat it be þe hardere for þe houndes..to folowe his trace.

c1400 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (Tiber.) f. 63^v (MED) Þat bole het apis þat was ywoned to come out of þe Ryuer Nylus & warne by hys pleyng & startlyng [a1387 St. John's Cambr. stelynge] what was to comyng.

1489 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (Adv.) iii. 704 A gret stertling he mycht haiff seyne Off schippys.

a1513 R. Fabyan New Cronycles Eng. & Fraunce (1516) I. ccxxxviii. f. clx^v In the which apered feyghtynge Geauntes, stertlynge of beestys, swymmynge of fysshes, & fleynge of fowlys.

1572 Treat. Treasons against Q. Elizabeth ii. f. 93^v The weight of which yoke I leaue to be considered by the Histories and Presidents of times past, yea and by their owne startling, storming, & raging therat.

a1631 J. Donne Serm. (1953) VI. 73 It is rather a startling in our sleep, then any awaking at all, to have a sudden remorse,..and no constant perseverance.

1652 F. Kirkman tr. A. Du Périer Loves Clerio & Lozia 34 Her trembling body, her unaccustomed startlings and disquietness.

1677 R. Gilpin Dæmonol. Sacra ii. iv. 249 Custom doth by degrees take off the startling of Conscience.

1753 A. Henderson Hist. Rebellion (ed. 5) i. 12 When about half a Mile from Rome, the Chaise in which he was, from a sudden Startling of the Horses, was at once overturned.

1825 R. P. Ward Tremaine III. xvii. 317 Why..this shrinking of the soul back on herself, this startling at destruction?

1974 R. Adams Shardik x. 69 There were fewer cries of alarm, fewer startlings of birds and flights of monkeys.

2014 H. Murkoff & S. Mazel What to Expect First Year (ed. 3) v. 145/1 Startling is second nature for newborns.

1645 J. Vicars Gods Arke 148 This piece of State-policie..is, no doubt, a might terrour and startling to the Enemies.

1658 A. Palmer Gospel New-creature ii. 106 Were a man or woman..convinced that he or she were in as bad and damnable a condition as any great sinner in the world, it might be a startling to them.

1681 E. Lane Du Moulin's Refl. Reverberated 43 As for your words whereby you make such a pudder, viz. of the startling and thundring thereby upon others..that is to be taken obliquely.

1699 J. Barry Reviving Cordial ii. 37 These things..proved some occasion of startling and discouragement to me.

1813 S. T. Coleridge Remorse i. ii. 17 If..our rude startling..Drove you to this, your not ungentle kindness.

1880 G. Meredith Tragic Comedians II. vi. 102 She has a turn for startling.

1999 College Lit. 26 ii. 74 See, for example,..the final entrance of the justice of the peace and his startling of the Colonel.

c1405 (c1385) G. Chaucer Knight's Tale (Hengwrt) (2003) l. 644 He on a Courser startlynge [c1430 Cambr. Gg.4.27 stertelynge, c1465 Christ Church Oxf. starlyng] as the fir Is riden in to the feldes hym to pleye.

a1500 (?c1450) Merlin xvi. 257 With vij hundred knyghtes vpon startelinge stedes.

1513 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid iv. iv. 56 The child, amyde the planis, Joyus and blyth his stertling steid to assay.

1573 G. Gascoigne & F. Kinwelmersh Iocasta v. ii, in G. Gascoigne Hundreth Sundrie Flowres sig. U Downe our duke dismountes From of his startling steede.

1597 A. Montgomerie Cherrie & Slae 86 To heir the startling streames cleire, I thocht it musike to the eire.

1630 M. Drayton Muses Elizium ix. 76 Vp to Olimpus top so steepe, Thy startling Coursers currying.

1664 Floddan Field vi. 56 His startling Steeds hail'd forth amain.

1714 J. Hughes tr. Claudian Rape of Proserpine ii. 38 The startling Steeds, accustom'd to the Night.

1790 E. Billington Town & Country Songster 68 Nor gates nor hedges can impede, The brisk high mettl'd startling steed.

1827 T. Hogg Fabulous Hist. Anc. Kingdom Cornwall 326 Swift as the fires, above, which glanced, Sir Tristrem's startling steed advanced, As from enchantment, free.

1906 C. M. Doughty Dawn in Brit. III. ix. 5 But Mormael's startling steed..Was taken with fury.

1599 T. Moffett Silkewormes 2 That we resembled melancholique hares Or startling stagges, whom euerie shadow scares.

a1644 F. Quarles Judgem. & Mercy (1646) 197 It cries aloud, and thunders in my startling eare.

a1677 T. Manton Sermons (1684) II. ii. i. xiii. 92 A dying body, and a startling conscience maketh them afraid of everlasting death.

1690 G. Powell Treacherous Brothers iv. v. 46 And my pale Ghost will haunt your startling Sleeps.

1718 M. Prior Solomon on Vanity iii, in Poems Several Occasions (new ed.) 503 In broken Rest, and startling Sleep to mourn.

1792 S. Rogers Pleasures Mem. i. 44 Oft, fancy-led, at midnight's fearful hour, With startling step we scaled the lonely tower.

1813 P. B. Shelley Queen Mab ix. 119 'Tis but..The transient gulph-dream of a startling sleep.

1821 J. Clare Village Minstrel II. 121 The startling peewits..Scream joyous whirring over-head.

1857 Friends' Intelligencer 14 Nov. 560/1 A sparrow from a neighboring tree..seemed to his startling ear to say, ‘Jem! Jem!’

1609 W. Barlow Answer Catholike English-man 187 From which there is no startling exception, saith Aquinas.

1626 W. Pinke tr. J. Cameron Exam. Plausible Appearances ix. 33 He hath caused his uoice, Touch not mine annointed to giue a startling sound to the most inhumane and sauage hearts.

1654 in C. H. Firth Clarke Papers (1899) III. 12 The present effect is startling to all nacions round about, all in a waiteing frame where this cloud will light.

1714 T. Lucas Mem. Most Famous Gamesters & Sharpers (ed. 2) 275 He receiv'd the startling News, that his Lady was gone to London with the Lord M——n.

1740 S. Richardson Pamela II. 87 Said I, I am sorry my Voice is so startling to you, Mr. Williams.

1833 C. Lamb Pop. Fallacies ix, in Last Ess. Elia 241 If by worst be only meant the most far-fetched and startling, we agree to it.

1866 J. Martineau Ess. Philos. & Theol. 1st Ser. 30 The statement is as false as it is startling.

1929 J. B. Priestley Good Companions iii. i. 470 'Stop!' cried Mrs. Joe in a startling and dramatic fashion, at the same time, sitting bolt upright.

1958 New Statesman 4 Jan. 7/3 The contrast is startling.

2013 D. Goldberg Universe in Rearview Mirror vi. 166 He described a weak version and a far more startling version that has come to be known as the Einstein Equivalence Principle.

1619 J. Higgins Falles Vnfortunate Princes 478 False Fortune blere ey'd blind, vnsteady startling still.

a1631 J. Donne Βιαθανατος (1644) II. Pref. 20 Nor we so umbragious and startling, having been so long enlightned in Gods path.

1645 J. Milton Tetrachordon 25 Unless wee imagin Moses weaker then every negligent and startling Politician.

1648 T. Gage Eng.-Amer. 173 His look was grim with a wrinkled forehead, and broad startling eyes.

1840 Greenville (S. Carolina) Mountaineer 11 Dec. 2/1 Now hither, thither wildly spreading, Their startling eyes in phrenzy glaring round.

1885 Chatterbox 31 Jan. 83/2 She had been telling Joe about the Flower ghost in the ravine, and, encouraged by his open mouth and startling eyes of terror, had added little horrible details.

a1645 W. Browne tr. M. Le Roy Hist. Polexander (1647) iii. iv. 125 He lay downe and slept at the foot of a tree, but startlingly awaking [Fr. s'éueillant en sursaut], he thought that he heard some one bewailing.

1840 L. Blanchard in New Monthly Mag. 59 413 So strangely, so startlingly like.

1928 A. Huxley Point Counter Point xiii. 247 A bell rang startlingly.

2008 Independent 1 Apr. 3/5 His startlingly colourful language made him an overnight celebrity.

1846 Douglas Jerrold's Shilling Mag. 4 432 We hope..that Mr. Pecker's project to entertain his far-away friends..has produced its anticipated startlingness.

1935 Brit. Musician & Musical News Feb. 28/1 His images are startling..and startlingness in art is bad.

2014 J. Ellenberg How not to be Wrong v. 80 You have to do more than show that it is startling; you have to show that its startlingness is increasing.