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surge

[surj]
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noun
  1. a strong, wavelike, forward movement, rush, or sweep: the onward surge of an angry mob.
  2. a strong, swelling, wavelike volume or body of something: a billowing surge of smoke.
  3. a sudden, strong increase or burst: a surge of energy; surges of emotion.
  4. Military. a significant increase in the number of troops deployed to an area.
  5. the rolling swell of the sea.
  6. the swelling and rolling sea: The surge crashed against the rocky coast.
  7. a swelling wave; billow.
  8. Meteorology.
    1. a widespread change in atmospheric pressure that is in addition to cyclonic and normal diurnal changes.
    2. storm surge.
  9. Electricity.
    1. a sudden rush or burst of current or voltage.
    2. a violent oscillatory disturbance.
  10. Nautical. a slackening or slipping back, as of a rope or cable.
  11. Machinery.
    1. an uneven flow and strong momentum given to a fluid, as water in a tank, resulting in a rapid, temporary rise in pressure.
    2. pulsating unevenness of motion in an engine or gas turbine.
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verb (used without object), surged, surg·ing.
  1. (of a ship) to rise and fall, toss about, or move along on the waves: to surge at anchor.
  2. to rise, roll, move, or swell forward in or like waves: The sea surged against the shore. The crowd surged back and forth.
  3. to rise as if by a heaving or swelling force: Blood surged to his face.
  4. Electricity.
    1. to increase suddenly, as current or voltage.
    2. to oscillate violently.
  5. Nautical.
    1. to slack off or loosen a rope or cable around a capstan or windlass.
    2. to slip back, as a rope.
  6. Machinery. to move with pulsating unevenness, as something driven by an engine or gas turbine.
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verb (used with object), surged, surg·ing.
  1. to cause to surge or roll in or as in waves.
  2. Nautical. to slacken (a rope).
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Origin of surge

1480–90; perhaps < Latin surgere to spring up, arise, stand up
Related formsun·surg·ing, adjective
Can be confusedserge surge
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

streamswellriseflowclimbgrowdelugesluicemountbillowundulatepourswirleddygushariserippletowerheaveroll

Examples from the Web for surged

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • Instantly, Martin's cordiality vanished; his hostility toward her surged.

    Dust

    Mr. and Mrs. Haldeman-Julius

  • How we surged and panted, and fought one another for our sacred lives!

    Meadow Grass

    Alice Brown

  • Roma was lifted off her feet by the breaker of human beings201 that surged around.

  • Again the thoughts surged and surged, and the past intruded itself!

    The Strollers

    Frederic S. Isham

  • It burned and surged from my trembling fingers into the flesh of her forearm.

British Dictionary definitions for surged

surge

noun
  1. a strong rush or sweep; sudden increasea surge of anger
  2. the rolling swell of the sea, esp after the passage of a large wave
  3. a heavy rolling motion or soundthe surge of the trumpets
  4. an undulating rolling surface, as of hills
  5. a billowing cloud or volume
  6. nautical a temporary release or slackening of a rope or cable
  7. a large momentary increase in the voltage or current in an electric circuit
  8. an upward instability or unevenness in the power output of an engine
  9. astronomy a short-lived disturbance, occurring during the eruption of a solar flare
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verb
  1. (intr) (of waves, the sea, etc) to rise or roll with a heavy swelling motion
  2. (intr) to move like a heavy sea
  3. nautical to slacken or temporarily release (a rope or cable) from a capstan or (of a rope, etc) to be slackened or released and slip back
  4. (intr) (of an electric current or voltage) to undergo a large momentary increase
  5. (tr) rare to cause to move in or as if in a wave or waves
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Derived Formssurgeless, adjectivesurger, noun

Word Origin

C15: from Latin surgere to rise, from sub- up + regere to lead
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 surged

surge

n.

late 15c., "fountain, stream," probably from Middle French sourge-, stem of sourdre "to rise, swell," from Latin surgere "to rise," contraction of surrigere "to rise," from sub "up from below" + regere "to keep straight, guide" (see regal). Meaning "high, rolling swell of water" is from 1520s; figurative sense of "excited rising up" (as of feelings) is from 1510s.

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surge

v.

1510s, from surge (n.). Related: Surged; surging.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
surged in Science

surge

[sûrj]
  1. A coastal rise in water level caused by wind.
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.