SYNONYMS | EXAMPLES | WORD ORIGIN
noun the act or sport of riding the surf , as on a surfboard. Origin of surfing First recorded in
1915–20; surf +
-ing1 noun the swell of the sea that breaks upon a shore or upon shoals.
the mass or line of foamy water caused by the breaking of the sea upon a shore, especially a shallow or sloping shore.
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verb (used without object) to float on the crest of a wave toward shore.
to swim, play, or bathe in the surf.
to search haphazardly, as for information on a computer network or an interesting program on television.
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verb (used with object) to ride a surfboard on: We surfed every big wave in sight. to search through (a computer network or TV channels) for information or entertainment.
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Origin of surf First recorded in 1675–85; earlier suff; of uncertain origin
Related forms surf·a·ble , adjective surf·er , noun surf·like , adjective Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for surfing Contemporary Examples of surfing The sport of surfing is a very sexy sport, beautiful people on beautiful beaches in minimal clothing.
“It seems like volunteers for ISIS are surfing for the sublime,” Atran wrote to me on Sunday.
Later, he saved up and spent a few years in Latin America, surfing , camping and backpacking.
Surfing on an ocean of media hagiography, Christie seemed unbeatable just when it was time for Democrats to declare themselves.
Eastwood talks to Anna Klassen about filming with Brad Pitt, surfing , and his famous dad.
Historical Examples of surfing He taught me diving and surfing until I was nearly as clever as he, and he was cleverer than the average Kanaka.
I worked on my Beat paper all the next day at home, reading the Kerouac and surfing the Xnet.
Conditions are ideal for surfing , outrigger canoe paddling and catamaran sailing.
Help paddle an outrigger canoe in through the surf, take a surfing lesson, snorkel, swim or sun.
If surfing the Net is part of the newlyweds' life, there is even less dialogue.
British Dictionary definitions for surfing noun the sport of riding towards shore on the crest of a wave by standing or lying on a surfboard
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Derived Forms surfer or surfrider , noun noun waves breaking on the shore or on a reef
foam caused by the breaking of waves
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verb (intr) to take part in surfing
computing (on the internet) to move freely from website to website (esp in the phrase surf the net ) to move freely between (TV channels or radio stations) informal to be carried on top of something that guy's surfing the audience (in combination ) trainsurfing Show More
Derived Forms surfable , adjective surflike , adjective Word Origin for surf C17: probably variant of sough 1
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
Word Origin and History for surfing n. 1955, verbal noun from surf (v.).
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n. 1680s, probably from earlier suffe (1590s), of uncertain origin. Originally used in reference to the coast of India, hence perhaps of Indic origin. Or perhaps a phonetic respelling of sough , which meant "a rushing sound."
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v. "ride the crest of a wave," 1917, from surf (n.). Related: Surfed ; surfing . In the Internet sense, first recorded 1993.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
The waves of the sea as they break upon a shore or a reef.
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
