Wave

[weɪv] or [wev]

Definition

(noun.) a movement like that of a sudden occurrence or increase in a specified phenomenon; 'a wave of settlers'; 'troops advancing in waves'.

(noun.) a hairdo that creates undulations in the hair.

(noun.) the act of signaling by a movement of the hand.

(noun.) (physics) a movement up and down or back and forth.

(noun.) one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water).

(noun.) something that rises rapidly; 'a wave of emotion swept over him'; 'there was a sudden wave of buying before the market closed'; 'a wave of conservatism in the country led by the hard right'.

(noun.) a member of the women's reserve of the United States Navy; originally organized during World War II but now no longer a separate branch.

(noun.) a persistent and widespread unusual weather condition (especially of unusual temperatures); 'a heat wave'.

(noun.) an undulating curve.

(verb.) set waves in; 'she asked the hairdresser to wave her hair'.

Edited by Charlene--From WordNet

Definition

(v. t.) See Waive.

(v. i.) To play loosely; to move like a wave, one way and the other; to float; to flutter; to undulate.

(v. i.) To be moved to and fro as a signal.

(v. i.) To fluctuate; to waver; to be in an unsettled state; to vacillate.

(v. t.) To move one way and the other; to brandish.

(v. t.) To raise into inequalities of surface; to give an undulating form a surface to.

(v. t.) To move like a wave, or by floating; to waft.

(v. t.) To call attention to, or give a direction or command to, by a waving motion, as of the hand; to signify by waving; to beckon; to signal; to indicate.

(v. i.) An advancing ridge or swell on the surface of a liquid, as of the sea, resulting from the oscillatory motion of the particles composing it when disturbed by any force their position of rest; an undulation.

(v. i.) A vibration propagated from particle to particle through a body or elastic medium, as in the transmission of sound; an assemblage of vibrating molecules in all phases of a vibration, with no phase repeated; a wave of vibration; an undulation. See Undulation.

(v. i.) Water; a body of water.

(v. i.) Unevenness; inequality of surface.

(v. i.) A waving or undulating motion; a signal made with the hand, a flag, etc.

(v. i.) The undulating line or streak of luster on cloth watered, or calendered, or on damask steel.

(v. i.) Fig.: A swelling or excitement of thought, feeling, or energy; a tide; as, waves of enthusiasm.

(n.) Woe.

Edited by Elise

Synonyms and Synonymous

n. Undulation, billow, breaker, surge, swell, ripple.

v. n. Undulate, float, fluctuate, flicker, vibrate, oscillate, play loosely, play to and fro.

v. a. Brandish, flourish.

Checked by Cecily

Definition

n. a ridge on the surface of water swaying or moving backwards and forwards: (poet.) the sea: a state of vibration propagated through a system of particles: inequality of surface: a line or streak like a wave: an undulation: a rush of anything: a gesture.—v.i. to move like a wave: to play loosely: to be moved as a signal: to fluctuate.—v.t. to move backwards and forwards: to brandish: to waft or beckon: to raise into inequalities of surface.—p.adj. Waved showing a wavelike form or outline: undulating: (her.) indented: (nat. hist.) having on the margin a succession of curved segments or incisions.—n. Wave′-length the distance between the crests of adjacent waves.—adj. Wave′less free from waves: undisturbed.—n. Wave′let a little wave.—adj. Wave′like.—ns. Wave′-line the outline path of a wave: the surface of the waves: the line made by a wave on the shore; Wave′-loaf a loaf for a wave-offering; Wave′-mō′tion undulatory movement; Wave′-mould′ing (archit.) undulating moulding; Wave′-off′ering an ancient Jewish custom of moving the hands in succession towards the four points of the compass in presenting certain offerings—opposed to the Heave-offering in which the hands were only lifted up and lowered.—v.t. Wā′ver to move to and fro: to shake: to falter: to be unsteady or undetermined: to be in danger of falling.—ns. Wā′verer; Wā′vering.—adv. Wā′veringly in a wavering or irresolute manner.—n. Wā′veringness.—adjs. Wā′verous Wā′very unsteady.—n. Wave′son goods floating on the sea after a shipwreck.—adj. Wave′-worn worn or washed away by the waves.—ns. Wā′viness the state or quality of being wavy; Wā′ving.—adj. Wā′vy full of or rising in waves: playing to and fro: undulating.—Hot wave Warm wave a movement of heat or warmth onwards generally eastward.

Edited by Johanna