Wave

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

Wave, v. t. 

 See Waive.  Sir H. Wotton. Burke.  [1913 Webster]

Wave, v. i. [OE. waven, AS. wafian to waver, to hesitate, to wonder; akin to wæfre wavering, restless, MHG. wabern to be in motion, Icel. vafra to hover about; cf. Icel. vāfa to vibrate. Cf. Waft, Waver.].

•  To play loosely; to move like a wave, one way and the other; to float; to flutter; to undulate.  [1913 Webster]

  "His purple robes waved careless to the winds."  [1913 Webster]

  "Where the flags of three nations has successively waved."  [1913 Webster]
•  To be moved to and fro as a signal.  B. Jonson.  [1913 Webster]
•  To fluctuate; to waver; to be in an unsettled state; to vacillate.  [1913 Webster]

  "He waved indifferently 'twixt doing them neither good nor harm."  [1913 Webster]

Wave, v. t. 

•  To move one way and the other; to brandish.  Dryden.  [1913 Webster]
•  To raise into inequalities of surface; to give an undulating form a surface to.  [1913 Webster]

  "Horns whelked and waved like the enridged sea."  [1913 Webster]
•  To move like a wave, or by floating; to waft.  Sir T. Browne.  [1913 Webster]
•  To call attention to, or give a direction or command to, by a waving motion, as of the hand; to signify by waving; to beckon; to signal; to indicate.  [1913 Webster]

  "Look, with what courteous action
  It waves you to a more removed ground."  [1913 Webster]

  "She spoke, and bowing waved
  Dismissal."  [1913 Webster]

Wave, n. [From Wave, v.; not the same word as OE. wawe, waghe, a wave, which is akin to E. wag to move. Wave, v. i.].

•  An advancing ridge or swell on the surface of a liquid, as of the sea, resulting from the oscillatory motion of the particles composing it when disturbed by any force their position of rest; an undulation.  [1913 Webster]

  "The wave behind impels the wave before."  [1913 Webster]
•  A vibration propagated from particle to particle through a body or elastic medium, as in the transmission of sound; an assemblage of vibrating molecules in all phases of a vibration, with no phase repeated; a wave of vibration; an undulation. See Undulation.  [1913 Webster]
•  Water; a body of water.  Sir W. Scott.  [1913 Webster]

  "Build a ship to save thee from the flood,
  I 'll furnish thee with fresh wave, bread, and wine."  [1913 Webster]
•  Unevenness; inequality of surface.  Sir I. Newton.  [1913 Webster]
•  A waving or undulating motion; a signal made with the hand, a flag, etc.  [1913 Webster]
•  The undulating line or streak of luster on cloth watered, or calendered, or on damask steel.  [1913 Webster]
•  Something resembling or likened to a water wave, as in rising unusually high, in being of unusual extent, or in progressive motion; a swelling or excitement, as of feeling or energy; a tide; flood; period of intensity, usual activity, or the like; as, a wave of enthusiasm; waves of applause.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

Wave front (Physics), the surface of initial displacement of the particles in a medium, as a wave of vibration advances. -- Wave length (Physics), the space, reckoned in the direction of propagation, occupied by a complete wave or undulation, as of light, sound, etc.; the distance from a point or phase in a wave to the nearest point at which the same phase occurs. -- Wave line (Shipbuilding), a line of a vessel's hull, shaped in accordance with the wave-line system. -- Wave-line system, Wave-line theory (Shipbuilding), a system or theory of designing the lines of a vessel, which takes into consideration the length and shape of a wave which travels at a certain speed. -- Wave loaf, a loaf for a wave offering. Lev. viii. 27. -- Wave moth (Zoöl.), any one of numerous species of small geometrid moths belonging to Acidalia and allied genera; -- so called from the wavelike color markings on the wings. -- Wave offering, an offering made in the Jewish services by waving the object, as a loaf of bread, toward the four cardinal points. Num. xviii. 11. -- Wave of vibration (Physics), a wave which consists in, or is occasioned by, the production and transmission of a vibratory state from particle to particle through a body. -- Wave surface. (a) (Physics) A surface of simultaneous and equal displacement of the particles composing a wave of vibration. (b) (Geom.) A mathematical surface of the fourth order which, upon certain hypotheses, is the locus of a wave surface of light in the interior of crystals. It is used in explaining the phenomena of double refraction. See under Refraction. -- Wave theory. (Physics) See Undulatory theory, under Undulatory.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Wave, v. & n.
--v.
1 a intr. (often foll. by to) move a hand etc. to and fro in greeting or as a signal (waved to me across the street). b tr. move (a hand etc.) in this way.
2 a intr. show a sinuous or sweeping motion as of a flag, tree, or a cornfield in the wind; flutter, undulate. b tr. impart a waving motion to.
3 tr. brandish (a sword etc.) as an encouragement to followers etc.
4 tr. tell or direct (a person) by waving (waved them away; waved them to follow).
5 tr. express (a greeting etc.) by waving (waved goodbye to them).
6 tr. give an undulating form to (hair, drawn lines, etc.); make wavy.
7 intr. (of hair etc.) have such a form; be wavy.
--n.
1 a ridge of water between two depressions.
2 a long body of water curling into an arched form and breaking on the shore.
3 a thing compared to this, e.g. a body of persons in one of successive advancing groups.
4 a gesture of waving.
5 a the process of waving the hair. b an undulating form produced in the hair by waving.
6 a a temporary occurrence or increase of a condition, emotion, or influence (a wave of enthusiasm). b a specified period of widespread weather (heat wave).
7 Physics a the disturbance of the particles of a fluid medium to form ridges and troughs for the propagation or direction of motion, heat, light, sound, etc., without the advance of the particles. b a single curve in the course of this motion (see also standing wave, travelling wave (see TRAVEL)).
8 Electr. a similar variation of an electromagnetic field in the propagation of radiation through a medium or vacuum.
9 (in pl.; prec. by the) poet. the sea; water.

Idiom

make waves colloq. cause trouble. wave aside dismiss as intrusive or irrelevant. wave down wave to (a vehicle or its driver) as a signal to stop. wave equation a differential equation expressing the properties of motion in waves. wave-form Physics a curve showing the shape of a wave at a given time. wave-front Physics a surface containing points affected in the same way by a wave at a given time. wave function a function satisfying a wave equation and describing the properties of a wave. wave mechanics a method of analysis of the behaviour esp. of atomic phenomena with particles represented by wave equations (see quantum mechanics). wave number Physics the number of waves in a unit distance. wave theory hist. the theory that light is propagated through the ether by a wave-motion imparted to the ether by the molecular vibrations of the radiant body.

Derivative

waveless adj. wavelike adj. & adv.

Etymology

OE wafian (v.) f. Gmc: (n.) also alt. of ME wawe, wage

THESAURUS

Wave

Afro, accost, address, advertise, affect, air, ambages, amplitude, anfractuosity, antinode, barber, be poised, beat, beat the drum, betoken, bicker, billow, blazon forth, bob, bobble, bore, bow, brandish, brandishing, break, breakers, breathe, bring forth, bring forward, bring into view, bring out, bring to notice, careen, chop, choppiness, chopping sea, circuitousness, circumambages, circumbendibus, circumlocution, circumvolution, coggle, coif, coiffure, cold wave, comb, comber, conk, convolution, crash, crest, crinkle, crinkling, curtsy, dance, dangle, dash, de Broglie wave, demonstrate, develop, diffraction, dip, dirty water, disclose, display, divulge, dramatize, eagre, ebb and flow, electromagnetic radiation, electromagnetic wave, emblazon, embody, embrace, enact, evidence, evince, exchange colors, exhibit, expose to view, express, flag, flag down, flap, flash, flaunt, flaunting, flexuosity, flexuousness, flick, flicker, flip, flit, flitter, float, flop, flourish, flourishing, fluctuate, flutter, fly, frequency, frequency band, frequency spectrum, give a signal, give sign, give the nod, give token, glance, go pitapat, gravity wave, greeting, ground swell, guided wave, gutter, hail, hail and speak, haircut, hairdo, hairstyle, half-mast, hand-clasp, handshake, headdress, heave, heavy sea, heavy swell, hello, highlight, hoist a banner, hold up, home permanent, how-do-you-do, hug, illuminate, in phase, incarnate, indicate, interference, intorsion, involution, kick, kiss, leer, librate, lift, light, longitudinal wave, lop, lurch, make a sign, make clear, make plain, manifest, materialize, mean, meander, meandering, mechanical wave, natural, nod, node, nudge, nutate, oscillate, out of phase, palpitate, parade, peak, pendulate, perform, period, periodic wave, permanent, permanent wave, pitch, pitter-patter, poke, pompadour, popple, present, process, produce, pulse, put forth, put forward, radio wave, raise a cry, ray, reel, reinforcement, represent, resonance, resonance frequency, resonate, reveal, riffle, ripple, rise, rise and fall, rivulation, rock, roll, roll out, roller, rough water, salutation, salute, scend, sea, seismic wave, send, set forth, shake, shaking, shingle, shock wave, show, show forth, sign, signal, signalize, sinuation, sinuosity, sinuousness, slat, slinkiness, smash, smile, smile of recognition, snakiness, sound an alarm, sound the trumpet, sound wave, speak, splutter, sport, spotlight, sputter, surf, surface wave, surge, swag, sway, swell, swing, swinging, throb, tidal bore, tidal wave, tide wave, token, torsion, tortility, tortuosity, tortuousness, toss, touch, transverse wave, trim, trot out, trough, trumpet, trumpet forth, tsunami, turning, twisting, undulate, undulation, unfold, unfurl a flag, vacillate, vaunt, vibrate, wag, waggle, water wave, wave a flag, wave equation, wave motion, wave number, wave the hand, wavelength, wavelet, waver, waving, white horses, whitecaps, wield, wigwag, winding, wink, wobble

ROGET THESAURUS

Wave

Convolution

N convolution, winding, convolution, involution, circumvolution, wave, undulation, tortuosity, anfractuosity, sinuosity, sinuation, meandering, circuit, circumbendibus, twist, twirl, windings and turnings, ambages, torsion, inosculation, reticulation, rivulation, roughness, coil, roll, curl, buckle, spiral, helix, corkscrew, worm, volute, rundle, tendril, scollop, scallop, escalop, kink, ammonite, snakestone, serpent, eel, maze, labyrinth, knot, convoluted, winding, twisted, tortile, tortive, wavy, undated, undulatory, circling, snaky, snake-like, serpentine, serpent, anguill, vermiform, vermicular, mazy, tortuous, sinuous, flexuous, anfractuous, reclivate, rivulose, scolecoid, sigmoid, sigmoidal, spiriferous, spiroid, involved, intricate, complicated, perplexed, labyrinth, labyrinthic, labyrinthian, labyrinthine, peristaltic, daedalian, kinky, knotted, wreathy, frizzly, crepe, buckled, raveled, spiral, coiled, helical, cochleate, cochleous, screw-shaped, turbinated, turbiniform, in and out, round and round, a can of worms, Gordian knot.

VB be convoluted, wind, twine, turn and twist, twirl, wave, undulate, meander, inosculate, entwine, intwine, twist, coil, roll, wrinkle, curl, crisp, twill, frizzle, crimp, crape, indent, scollop, scallop, wring, intort, contort, wreathe.

Oscillation

N oscillation, vibration, libration, motion of a pendulum, nutation, undulation, pulsation, pulse, alternation, coming and going, ebb and flow, flux and reflux, ups and down, fluctuation, vacillation, wave, vibratiuncle, swing, beat, shake, wag, seesaw, dance, lurch, dodge, logan, loggan, rocking-stone, vibroscope, oscillating, oscillatory, undulatory, pulsatory, libratory, rectilinear, vibratory, vibratile, pendulous, to and fro, up and down, backwards and forwards, hither and yon, seesaw, zigzag, wibble-wabble, in and out, from side to side, like buckets in a well.

VB oscillate, vibrate, librate, alternate, undulate, wave, rock, swing, pulsate, beat, wag, waggle, nod, bob, courtesy, curtsy, tick, play, wamble, wabble, dangle, swag, fluctuate, dance, curvet, reel, quake, quiver, quaver, shake, flicker, wriggle, roll, toss, pitch, flounder, stagger, totter, move up and down, bob up and down, pass and repass, ebb and flow, come and go, vacillate, teeter, brandish, shake, flourish.

Ocean

N sea, ocean, main, deep, brine, salt water, waves, billows, high seas, offing, great waters, watery waste, vasty deep, wave, tide, hydrography, hydrographer, Neptune, Poseidon, Thetis, Triton, Naiad, Nereid, sea nymph, Siren, trident, dolphin, oceanic, marine, maritime, pelagic, pelagian, seagoing, hydrographic, bathybic, cotidal, at sea, on sea, afloat.

River

N river, running water, jet, spirt, spurt, squirt, spout, spray, splash, rush, gush, jet d'eau, sluice, water spout, water fall, cascade, force, foss, lin, linn, ghyll, Niagara, cataract, rapids, white water, catadupe, cataclysm, debacle, inundation, deluge, chute, washout, rain, rainfall, serein, shower, scud, downpour, driving rain, drenching rain, cloudburst, hyetology, hyetography, predominance of Aquarius, reign of St. Swithin, mizzle, drizzle, stillicidum, plash, dropping, falling weather, northeaster, hurricane, typhoon, stream, course, flux, flow, profluence, effluence, defluxion, flowing, current, tide, race, coulee, spring, artesian well, fount, fountain, rill, rivulet, gill, gullet, rillet, streamlet, brooklet, branch, runnel, sike, burn, beck, creek, brook, bayou, stream, river, reach, tributary, geyser, spout, waterspout, body of water, torrent, rapids, flush, flood, swash, spring tide, high tide, full tide, bore, tidal bore, eagre, hygre, fresh, freshet, indraught, reflux, undercurrent, eddy, vortex, gurge, whirlpool, Maelstrom, regurgitation, overflow, confluence, corrivation, wave, billow, surge, swell, ripple, anerythmon gelasma, beach comber, riffle, rollers, ground swell, surf, breakers, white horses, whitecaps, rough sea, heavy sea, high seas, cross sea, long sea, short sea, chopping sea, hydrodynamics, hydraulics, hydraulicostatics, rain gauge, flowmeter, pegology, irrigation, pump, watering pot, watering cart, hydrant, syringe, garden hose, lawn spray, bhisti, mussuk, fluent, diffluent, profluent, affluent, tidal, flowing, meandering, meandry, meandrous, fluvial, fluviatile, streamy, showery, rainy, pluvial, stillicidous, stillatitious, for men may come and men may go but I go on foreve, that old man river, he just keeps rolling along.