The quality of happening with headlong haste or without warning.

synonyms: abruptness, precipitance, precipitancy, precipitateness, precipitousness.

Roget 132: earliness etc. adj.; morning etc. 125.    punctuality; promptitude etc. (activity) 682; haste etc. (velocity) 274; suddenness etc. (instantaneity) 113.    prematurity, precocity, precipitation, anticipation; a stitch in time.    ... show more

Roget 111: transience, transientness etc. adj.^†; evanescence, impermanence, fugacity [Chem], caducity^†, mortality, span; nine days' wonder, bubble, Mayfly; spurt; flash in the pan; temporary arrangement, interregnum.    velocity etc. 274; suddenness etc. 113; changeableness etc. 149.    transient, transient boarder, transient guest [U.S.].    ... show more

Roget 113: instantaneity, instantaneousness, immediacy; suddenness, abruptness.    moment, instant, second, minute; twinkling, trice, flash, breath, crack, jiffy, coup, burst, flash of lightning, stroke of time.    epoch, time; time of day, time of night; hour, minute; very minute &c., very time, very hour; present time, right time, true time, exact correct time.    ... show more

Dutch: onverwachtheid