- wave
- I UK [weɪv] / US
noun [countable]
Word forms "wave":
singular wave plural waves
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1)a) a line of water that rises up on the surface of a sea, lake, or riverThe boat was smashed by a huge wave.
Children swam and played in the waves.
b) the waves[plural] literary the sea2) a sudden increase in a particular type of behaviour or activity, especially one that is unpleasant or not welcomewave of:A fresh wave of selling sent technology stocks even lower.
a frightening wave of drug-related killings
a) a large number of people moving or arriving somewhere at the same timewave of:in waves:Waves of protesters began arriving at the stadium.
Demonstrators came to the rally in waves.
b) a period of activity that is part of a series of similar periodsMuch of Dresden was destroyed by wave after wave of bombing.
3) a sudden strong feeling or emotion that a person or group of people haswave of:They were overcome by a wave of horror at the news.
The scandal set off a wave of anger among local residents.
She felt a wave of tiredness sweep over her.
4) a movement of your hand used for saying hello or goodbye to someone or for giving a signalJack walked away with a wave.
a) the action of moving an object in the air, especially in order to give a signalWith a wave of the flag, the cars raced away.
b) American a Mexican wave5)a) physics the way in which sound, light, a radio signal etc travels. It is represented by a line that curves upwards and then downwards again many times.b) a shape that has a series of curves, or a single one of these curves••See:6) a slight curl in a person's hair•See:
II UK [weɪv] / US verb
Word forms "wave":
present tense I/you/we/they wave he/she/it waves present participle waving past tense waved past participle waved
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1)a) [intransitive/transitive] to move your hand to say hello or goodbye or as a signalHe smiled and waved when he saw me.
wave to:"Aren't they beautiful?" Don said, waving his hand at the mountains.
wave at:Prince Charles waved to the crowd.
wave goodbye (to someone):She waved at her parents as the bus pulled away.
Wave goodbye to Grandma, Charlie.
b) [transitive] to move your hand in order to tell someone to move, leave, or stop annoying youwave someone away/off/on:He waved me away when I offered to help.
2)a) [intransitive] to move smoothly and gently from side to sideAll around me I saw tall trees waving in the wind.
b) [transitive] to move something around in the airwave something around:wave something at someone:A man walked into the shop, waving a gun around.
He waved his finger at Lucy in a threatening manner.
3) [intransitive] if hair waves, it forms slight curls•wave something goodbye/wave goodbye to something
— informal used for saying that someone will lose something or will not be able to have itPhrasal verbs:If John loses his job, we can wave goodbye to our house.
- wave off
English dictionary. 2014.
