wave
Pronunciation: (wāv), [key]
— n., v., waved, wav•ing.
—n.
- a disturbance on the surface of a liquid body, as the sea or a lake, in the form of a moving ridge or swell.
- any surging or progressing movement or part resembling a wave of the sea: a wave of the pulse.
- a swell, surge, or rush, as of feeling or of a certain condition: a wave of disgust sweeping over a person; a wave of cholera throughout the country.
- a widespread feeling, opinion, tendency, etc.: a wave of anti-intellectualism; the new wave of installment buying.
- a mass movement, as of troops, settlers, or migrating birds.
- an outward curve, or one of a series of such curves, in a surface or line; undulation.
- an act or instance of waving.
- a fluttering sign or signal made with the hand, a flag, etc.: a farewell wave.
- natural waviness of the hair, or a special treatment to impart waviness: to have a wave in one's hair; to get a shampoo and a wave.
- a period or spell of unusually hot or cold weather.
- a progressive disturbance propagated from point to point in a medium or space without progress or advance by the points themselves, as in the transmission of sound or light.
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- water.
- a body of water.
- the sea.
- (at sports events, esp. baseball games) a momentary standing and sitting back down by spectators in a sequential, lateral way to create, en masse, a wavelike effect visually.
- to disturb the status quo; cause trouble, as by questioning or resisting the accepted rules, procedures, etc.: The best way to stay out of trouble at the office is not to make waves.
—v.i.
- to move freely and gently back and forth or up and down, as by the action of air currents, sea swells, etc.: The flags were waving in the wind.
- to curve alternately in opposite directions; have an undulating form: The road waved along the valley.
- to bend or sway up and down or to and fro, as branches or plants in the wind.
- to be moved, esp. alternately in opposite directions: The woman's handkerchief waved in encouragement.
- to give a signal by fluttering or flapping something: She waved to me with her hand.
—v.t.
- to cause to flutter or have a waving motion in: A night wind waves the tattered banners.
- to cause to bend or sway up and down or to and fro: The storm waved the heavy branches of the elm.
- to give an undulating form to; cause to curve up and down or in and out.
- to give a wavy appearance or pattern to, as silk.
- to impart a wave to (the hair).
- to move, esp. alternately in opposite directions: to wave the hand.
- to signal to by waving a flag or the like; direct by a waving movement: to wave a train to a halt; to wave traffic around an obstacle.
- to signify or express by a waving movement: to wave a last good-bye.
Wave
Pronunciation: (wāv), [key]
— n.
- a member of the Waves.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.