Adjacent Words

Surge definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

SURGE, n. [L. surgo, to rise.]
1. A large wave or billow; great rolling swell of water. [It is not applied to small waves, and is chiefly used in poetry and eloquence.]
He flies aloft, and with impetuous roar,
Pursues the foaming surges to the shore.
2. In ship-building, the tapered part in front of the whelps, between the chocks of a capstan, on which the messenger may surge.
SURGE, v.i. To swell; to rise high and roll; as waves.
The surging waters like a mountain rise.
1. To slip back, as, the cable surges.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a sudden forceful flow [syn: rush, spate, surge, upsurge]
2: a sudden or abrupt strong increase; "stimulated a surge of speculation"; "an upsurge of emotion"; "an upsurge in violent crime" [syn: surge, upsurge]
3: a large sea wave [syn: billow, surge] v
1: rise and move, as in waves or billows; "The army surged forward" [syn: billow, surge, heave]
2: rise rapidly; "the dollar soared against the yen" [syn: soar, soar up, soar upwards, surge, zoom]
3: rise or move forward; "surging waves" [syn: tide, surge] [ant: ebb, ebb away, ebb down, ebb off, ebb out]
4: rise or heave upward under the influence of a natural force such as a wave; "the boats surged" [syn: scend, surge]
5: see one's performance improve; "He levelled the score and then surged ahead"

Merriam Webster's

I. verb (surged; surging) Etymology: earlier, to ride (at anchor) probably in part from Middle French sourgir to cast anchor, land, from Catalan surgir to heave, cast anchor, from Latin surgere to rise, spring up; from sub- up + regere to lead straight; in part from Latin surgere — more at sub-, right Date: 1511 intransitive verb 1. to rise and fall actively ; toss <a ship surging in heavy seas> 2. to rise and move in waves or billows ; swell <the sea was surging> 3. to slip around a windlass, capstan, or bitts — used especially of a rope 4. to rise suddenly to an excessive or abnormal value <the stock market surgeed to a record high> 5. to move with a surge or in surges <felt the blood surging into his face — Harry Hervey> <she surged past the other runners> transitive verb to let go or slacken gradually (as a rope) II. noun Date: 1520 1. a swelling, rolling, or sweeping forward like that of a wave or series of waves <a surge of interest> 2. a. a large wave or billow ; swell b. (1) a series of such swells or billows (2) the resulting elevation of water level 3. a. a movement (as a slipping or slackening) of a rope or cable b. a sudden jerk or strain caused by such a movement 4. a transient sudden rise of current or voltage in an electrical circuit

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 a sudden or impetuous onset (a surge of anger). 2 the swell of the waves at sea. 3 a heavy forward or upward motion. 4 a rapid increase in price, activity, etc. over a short period. 5 a sudden marked increase in voltage of an electric current. --v.intr. 1 (of waves, the sea, etc.) rise and fall or move heavily forward. 2 (of a crowd etc.) move suddenly and powerfully forwards in large numbers. 3 (of an electric current etc.) increase suddenly. 4 Naut. (of a rope, chain, or windlass) slip back with a jerk. Phrases and idioms: surge chamber (or tank) a chamber designed to neutralize sudden changes of pressure in a flow of liquid. Etymology: OF sourdre sourge-, or sorgir f. Cat., f. L surgere rise

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Surge Surge, n. [L. surgere, surrectum, to raise, to rise; sub under + regere to direct: cf. OF. surgeon, sourgeon, fountain. See Regent, and cf. Insurrection, Sortie, Source.] 1. A spring; a fountain. [Obs.] ``Divers surges and springs of water.'' --Ld. Berners. 2. A large wave or billow; a great, rolling swell of water, produced generally by a high wind. He that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. --James i. 6 (Rev. Ver.) He flies aloft, and, with impetuous roar, Pursues the foaming surges to the shore. --Dryden. 3. The motion of, or produced by, a great wave. 4. The tapered part of a windlass barrel or a capstan, upon which the cable surges, or slips.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Surge Surge, v. i. 1. To swell; to rise hifg and roll. The surging waters like a mountain rise. --Spenser. 2. (Naut.) To slip along a windlass.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Surge Surge, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Surged; p. pr. & vb. n. Surging.] [Cf. F. surgir to cast anchor, to land. Cf. Surge, n.] (Naut.) To let go or slacken suddenly, as a rope; as, to surge a hawser or messenger; also, to slacken the rope about (a capstan).

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(surges, surging, surged) 1. A surge is a sudden large increase in something that has previously been steady, or has only increased or developed slowly. Specialists see various reasons for the recent surge in inflation... The anniversary is bound to bring a new surge of interest in Dylan's work. N-COUNT: usu sing, usu N in/of n 2. If something surges, it increases suddenly and greatly, after being steady or developing only slowly. The Freedom Party's electoral support surged from just under 10 per cent to nearly 17 per cent... Surging imports will add to the demand for hard currency. VERB: V from/to/by amount, V-ing 3. If a crowd of people surge forward, they suddenly move forward together. The photographers and cameramen surged forward. ...the crowd surging out from the church. VERB: V adv/prep, V adv/prep 4. A surge is a sudden powerful movement of a physical force such as wind or water. The whole car shuddered with an almost frightening surge of power... N-COUNT: usu sing with supp, oft N of n 5. If a physical force such as water or electricity surges through something, it moves through it suddenly and powerfully. Thousands of volts surged through his car after he careered into a lamp post, ripping out live wires... VERB: V adv/prep

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. n. Wave, billow, breaker, roller, white horse. II. v. n. 1. Swell, rise high. 2. (Naut.) Slip back. III. v. a. (Naut.) Slack up suddenly (as a rope round a pin), let go.

Moby Thesaurus

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