shock

1
[ shok ]
See synonyms for: shockshockedshockershocking on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a sudden and violent blow or impact; collision.

  2. a sudden or violent disturbance or commotion: the shock of battle.

  1. a sudden or violent disturbance of the mind, emotions, or sensibilities: The burglary was a shock to her sense of security. The book provided a shock, nothing more.

  2. the cause of such a disturbance: The rebuke came as a shock.

  3. Pathology. a collapse of circulatory function, caused by severe injury, blood loss, or disease, and characterized by pallor, sweating, weak pulse, and very low blood pressure.: Compare anaphylactic shock, cardiogenic shock, hypovolemic shock.

  4. the physiological effect produced by the passage of an electric current through the body.

  5. shocks, Informal. shock absorbers, especially in the suspension of an automobile.

verb (used with object)
  1. to strike or jar with intense surprise, horror, disgust, etc.: He enjoyed shocking people.

  2. to strike against violently.

  1. to give an electric shock to.

verb (used without object)
  1. to undergo a shock.

Origin of shock

1
First recorded in 1565–75; from Middle French choc “armed encounter,” noun derivative of choquer “to clash (in battle),” from Germanic (probably Frankish); compare Dutch schokken “to shake, jolt, jerk”

synonym study For shock

8. Shock, startle, paralyze, stun suggest a sudden, sharp surprise that affects one somewhat like a blow. Shock suggests a strong blow, as it were, to one's nerves, sentiments, sense of decency, etc.: The onlookers were shocked by the accident. Startle implies the sharp surprise of sudden fright: to be startled by a loud noise. Paralyze implies such a complete shock as to render one temporarily helpless: paralyzed with fear. Stun implies such a shock as bewilders or stupefies: stunned by the realization of an unpleasant truth.

Other words for shock

Other words from shock

  • shock·a·ble, adjective
  • shock·a·bil·i·ty, noun
  • shock·ed·ness, noun
  • shocklike, adjective
  • un·shock·a·bil·i·ty, noun
  • un·shock·a·ble, adjective

Words Nearby shock

Other definitions for shock (2 of 3)

shock2
[ shok ]

noun
  1. a group of sheaves of grain placed on end and supporting one another in the field.

verb (used with object)
  1. to make into shocks.

Origin of shock

2
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English shok, shocke, shok(k)e; cognate with Middle Low German, Low German scok, schok, all meaning “shock of grain, group of sixty,” German Schock “sixty”

Other words from shock

  • shocker, noun

Other definitions for shock (3 of 3)

shock3
[ shok ]

noun
  1. a thick, bushy mass, as of hair.

  2. Also shock dog . a dog with long, shaggy hair.

adjective
  1. shaggy, as hair.

Origin of shock

3
First recorded in 1815–20; special use of shock2 (the hair being compared to a shock of wheat)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use shock in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for shock (1 of 3)

shock1

/ (ʃɒk) /


verb
  1. to experience or cause to experience extreme horror, disgust, surprise, etc: the atrocities shocked us; she shocks easily

  2. to cause a state of shock in (a person)

  1. to come or cause to come into violent contact; jar

noun
  1. a sudden and violent jarring blow or impact

  2. something that causes a sudden and violent disturbance in the emotions: the shock of her father's death made her ill

  1. pathol a state of bodily collapse or near collapse caused by circulatory failure or sudden lowering of the blood pressure, as from severe bleeding, burns, fright, etc

  2. pathol pain and muscular spasm as the physical reaction to an electric current passing through the body

Origin of shock

1
C16: from Old French choc, from choquier to make violent contact with, of Germanic origin; related to Middle High German schoc

Derived forms of shock

  • shockable, adjective
  • shockability, noun

British Dictionary definitions for shock (2 of 3)

shock2

/ (ʃɒk) /


noun
  1. a number of sheaves set on end in a field to dry

  2. a pile or stack of unthreshed corn

verb
  1. (tr) to set up (sheaves) in shocks

Origin of shock

2
C14: probably of Germanic origin; compare Middle Low German, Middle Dutch schok shock of corn, group of sixty

British Dictionary definitions for shock (3 of 3)

shock3

/ (ʃɒk) /


noun
  1. a thick bushy mass, esp of hair

adjective
  1. rare bushy; shaggy

Origin of shock

3
C19: perhaps from shock ²

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for shock

shock

[ shŏk ]


  1. An instance of the passage of an electric current through the body. The amount of injury caused by electric shock depends on the type and strength of the current, the length of time the current is applied, and the route the current takes once it enters the body.

  2. A life-threatening condition marked by a severe drop in blood pressure, resulting from serious injury or illness.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Other Idioms and Phrases with shock

shock

see culture shock.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.