To rise and move in a billowing or swelling manner.
To roll or be tossed about on waves, as a boat.
To move like advancing waves: The fans surged forward to see the movie star.
To increase suddenly: As favorable reviews came out, interest in the software surged.
To improve one's performance suddenly, especially in bettering one's standing in a competition.
Nautical To slip around a windlass. Used of a rope.
v.
tr.Nautical
To loosen or slacken (a cable) gradually.
n.
A heavy billowing or swelling motion like that of great waves.
Wave motion with low height and a shorter period than a swell.
A coastal rise in water level caused by wind.
The part of a windlass into which the cable surges.
A temporary release or slackening of a cable.
The forward and backward motion of a ship subjected to wave action.
A sudden onrush: a surge of joy.
A period of intense effort that improves a competitor's standing, as in a race.
A sudden, transient increase or oscillation in electric current or voltage.
An instability in the power output of an engine.
Astronomy A brief, violent disturbance occurring during the eruption of a solar flare.
Nautical
The part of a windlass into which the cable surges.
A temporary release or slackening of a cable.
[Probably French sourdre, sourge- (from Old French) and French surgir, to rise (from Old French, to cast anchor, from Old Catalan), both from Latin surgere, to rise : sub-, from below; see sub- + regere, to lead straight; see reg- in Indo-European roots.]
1490, "fountain, stream," probably from M.Fr. sourge-, stem of sourdre "to rise, swell," from L. surgere "to rise," contraction of surrigere "to rise," from sub "up from below" + regere "to keep straight, guide" (see right). Meaning "high, rolling swell of water" is from 1530; figurative sense of "excited rising up" (as of feelings) is from 1520. The verb is first recorded 1511.
In*sur"gent\, a. [L. insurgens, p. pr. of insurgere to rise up; pref. in- in + surgere to rise. See Surge.] Rising in opposition to civil or political authority, or against an established government; insubordinate; rebellious. "The insurgent provinces." --Motley.
Source\, n. [OE. sours, OF. sourse, surse, sorse, F. source, fr. OF. sors, p. p. of OF. sordre, surdre, sourdre, to spring forth or up, F. sourdre, fr. L. surgere to lift or raise up, to spring up. See Surge, and cf. Souse to plunge or swoop as a bird upon its prey.]1. The act of rising; a rise; an ascent. [Obs.] Therefore right as an hawk upon a sours Up springeth into the air, right so prayers . . . Maken their sours to Goddes ears two. --Chaucer. 2. The rising from the ground, or beginning, of a stream of water or the like; a spring; a fountain. Where as the Poo out of a welle small Taketh his firste springing and his sours. --Chaucer. Kings that rule Behind the hidden sources of the Nile. --Addison. 3. That from which anything comes forth, regarded as its cause or origin; the person from whom anything originates; first cause. This source of ideas every man has wholly in himself. --Locke. The source of Newton's light, of Bacon's sense. --Pope. Syn: See Origin.
Surge\, n. [L. surgere, surrectum, to raise, to rise; sub under + regere to direct: cf. OF. surgeon, sourgeon, fountain. See Regent, and cf. Insurrection, Sortie, Source.]1. A spring; a fountain. [Obs.] "Divers surges and springs of water." --Ld. Berners. 2. A large wave or billow; a great, rolling swell of water, produced generally by a high wind. He that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. --James i. 6 (Rev. Ver.) He flies aloft, and, with impetuous roar, Pursues the foaming surges to the shore. --Dryden. 3. The motion of, or produced by, a great wave. 4. The tapered part of a windlass barrel or a capstan, upon which the cable surges, or slips.
Surge\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Surged; p. pr. & vb. n. Surging.] [Cf. F. surgir to cast anchor, to land. Cf. Surge, n.] (Naut.) To let go or slacken suddenly, as a rope; as, to surge a hawser or messenger; also, to slacken the rope about (a capstan).
Surge\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Surged; p. pr. & vb. n. Surging.] [Cf. F. surgir to cast anchor, to land. Cf. Surge, n.] (Naut.) To let go or slacken suddenly, as a rope; as, to surge a hawser or messenger; also, to slacken the rope about (a capstan).
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