a disturbance on the surface of a liquid body, as the sea or a lake, in the form of a moving ridge or swell.
2.
any surging or progressing movement or part resembling a wave of the sea: a wave of the pulse.
3.
a swell, surge, or rush, as of feeling or of a certain condition: a wave of disgust sweeping over a person; a wave of cholera throughout the country.
4.
a widespread feeling, opinion, tendency, etc.: a wave of anti-intellectualism; the new wave of installment buying.
5.
a mass movement, as of troops, settlers, or migrating birds.
6.
an outward curve, or one of a series of such curves, in a surface or line; undulation.
7.
an act or instance of waving.
8.
a fluttering sign or signal made with the hand, a flag, etc.: a farewell wave.
9.
natural waviness of the hair, or a special treatment to impart waviness: to have a wave in one's hair; to get a shampoo and a wave.
10.
a period or spell of unusually hot or cold weather.
11.
Physics. a progressive disturbance propagated from point to point in a medium or space without progress or advance by the points themselves, as in the transmission of sound or light.
(at sports events, esp. baseball games) a momentary standing and sitting back down by spectators in a sequential, lateral way to create, en masse, a wavelike effect visually.
–verb (used without object)
14.
to move freely and gently back and forth or up and down, as by the action of air currents, sea swells, etc.: The flags were waving in the wind.
15.
to curve alternately in opposite directions; have an undulating form: The road waved along the valley.
16.
to bend or sway up and down or to and fro, as branches or plants in the wind.
17.
to be moved, esp. alternately in opposite directions: The woman's handkerchief waved in encouragement.
18.
to give a signal by fluttering or flapping something: She waved to me with her hand.
–verb (used with object)
19.
to cause to flutter or have a waving motion in: A night wind waves the tattered banners.
20.
to cause to bend or sway up and down or to and fro: The storm waved the heavy branches of the elm.
21.
to give an undulating form to; cause to curve up and down or in and out.
22.
to give a wavy appearance or pattern to, as silk.
23.
to impart a wave to (the hair).
24.
to move, esp. alternately in opposite directions: to wave the hand.
25.
to signal to by waving a flag or the like; direct by a waving movement: to wave a train to a halt; to wave traffic around an obstacle.
26.
to signify or express by a waving movement: to wave a last good-bye.
—Idiom
27.
make waves, Informal. to disturb the status quo; cause trouble, as by questioning or resisting the accepted rules, procedures, etc.: The best way to stay out of trouble at the office is not to make waves.
[Origin: 1325–75; ME waven (v.), OE wafian to wave the hands; c. MHG waben;cf. waver1]
—Related forms
waveless, adjective
wave·less·ly, adverb
wav·ing·ly, adverb
wavelike, adjective
—Synonyms 1. undulation, whitecap. Wave,ripple,breaker,surf refer to a ridge or swell on the surface of water. Wave is the general word: waves in a high wind. A ripple is the smallest kind of wave, such as is caused by a stone thrown into a pool: ripples in a brook. A breaker is a wave breaking, or about to break, upon the shore or upon rocks: the roar of breakers. Surf is the collective name for breakers: Heavy surf makes bathing dangerous. 14. undulate, flutter, float, sway, rock; fluctuate.
To move freely back and forth or up and down in the air, as branches in the wind.
To make a signal with an up-and-down or back-and-forth movement of the hand or an object held in the hand: waved as she drove by.
To have an undulating or wavy form; curve or curl: Her hair waves naturally.
v.
tr.
To cause to move back and forth or up and down, either once or repeatedly: She waved a fan before her face.
To move or swing as in giving a signal: He waved his hand. See Synonyms at flourish.
To signal or express by waving the hand or an object held in the hand: We waved goodbye.
To signal (a person) to move in a specified direction: The police officer waved the motorist into the right lane.
To arrange into curves, curls, or undulations: wave one's hair.
n.
A ridge or swell moving through or along the surface of a large body of water.
A small ridge or swell moving across the interface of two fluids and dependent on surface tension.
A moving curve or succession of curves in or on a surface; an undulation: waves of wheat in the wind.
A curve or succession of curves, as in the hair.
A curved shape, outline, or pattern.
A surge or rush, as of sensation: a wave of nausea; a wave of indignation.
A sudden great rise, as in activity or intensity: a wave of panic selling on the stock market.
A rising trend that involves large numbers of individuals: a wave of conservatism.
One of a succession of mass movements: the first wave of settlers.
A maneuver in which fans at a sports event simulate an ocean wave by rising quickly in sequence with arms upraised and then quickly sitting down again in a continuous rolling motion.
A disturbance traveling through a medium by which energy is transferred from one particle of the medium to another without causing any permanent displacement of the medium itself.
A graphic representation of the variation of such a disturbance with time.
A single cycle of such a disturbance.
The sea. Often used in the plural: vanished beneath the waves.
Something that suggests the form and motion of a wave in the sea, especially:
A moving curve or succession of curves in or on a surface; an undulation: waves of wheat in the wind.
A curve or succession of curves, as in the hair.
A curved shape, outline, or pattern.
A surge or rush, as of sensation: a wave of nausea; a wave of indignation.
A sudden great rise, as in activity or intensity: a wave of panic selling on the stock market.
A rising trend that involves large numbers of individuals: a wave of conservatism.
One of a succession of mass movements: the first wave of settlers.
A maneuver in which fans at a sports event simulate an ocean wave by rising quickly in sequence with arms upraised and then quickly sitting down again in a continuous rolling motion.
A disturbance traveling through a medium by which energy is transferred from one particle of the medium to another without causing any permanent displacement of the medium itself.
A graphic representation of the variation of such a disturbance with time.
A single cycle of such a disturbance.
A movement up and down or back and forth: a wave of the hand.
A surge or rush, as of sensation: a wave of nausea; a wave of indignation.
A sudden great rise, as in activity or intensity: a wave of panic selling on the stock market.
A rising trend that involves large numbers of individuals: a wave of conservatism.
One of a succession of mass movements: the first wave of settlers.
A maneuver in which fans at a sports event simulate an ocean wave by rising quickly in sequence with arms upraised and then quickly sitting down again in a continuous rolling motion.
A disturbance traveling through a medium by which energy is transferred from one particle of the medium to another without causing any permanent displacement of the medium itself.
A graphic representation of the variation of such a disturbance with time.
A single cycle of such a disturbance.
A widespread, persistent meteorological condition, especially of temperature: a heat wave.
Physics
A disturbance traveling through a medium by which energy is transferred from one particle of the medium to another without causing any permanent displacement of the medium itself.
A graphic representation of the variation of such a disturbance with time.
A single cycle of such a disturbance.
Phrasal Verb(s): wave off
To dismiss or refuse by waving the hand or arm: waved off his invitation to join the group.
Sports To cancel or nullify by waving the arms, usually from a crossed position: waved off the goal because time had run out.
[Middle English waven, from Old English wafian; see webh- in Indo-European roots.]
WaveAudio Help (wāv) Pronunciation Key
n.
A member of the women's reserve of the U.S. Navy, organized during World War II, but now no longer a separate branch.
"move back and forth," O.E. wafian "to wave with the hands" (related to wæfre "wavering, restless"), from P.Gmc. *wab- (cf. O.N. vafra "to hover about," M.H.G. waben "to wave, undulate"), from PIE base *webh- "to move to and fro, to weave" (see weave). Meaning "to make a sign by a wave of the hand" is from 1513.
"moving billow of water," 1526, from wave (v.), replacing M.E. waw, which is from O.E. wagian "to move to and fro" (cf. O.S., O.H.G. wag, O.Fris. weg, O.N. vagr "water in motion, wave, billow," Goth. wegs "tempest;" see wag (v.)). The usual O.E. word for "moving billow of water" was yð. The "hand motion" meaning is recorded from 1688; meaning "undulating line" is recorded from 1662. Of people in masses, first recorded 1852; in physics, from 1832. Sense in heat wave is from 1843. The crowd stunt in stadiums is attested under this name from 1984, the thing itself said to have been done first Oct. 15, 1981, at the Yankees-A's AL championship series game in the Oakland Coliseum; soon picked up and popularized at University of Washington. To make waves "cause trouble" is attested from 1962. Wavy is recorded from c.1586.
one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)
2.
a movement like that of a sudden occurrence or increase in a specified phenomenon; "a wave of settlers"; "troops advancing in waves"
3.
(physics) a movement up and down or back and forth
4.
something that rises rapidly; "a wave of emotion swept over him"; "there was a sudden wave of buying before the market closed"; "a wave of conservatism in the country led by the hard right"
5.
the act of signaling by a movement of the hand
6.
a hairdo that creates undulations in the hair
7.
an undulating curve
8.
a persistent and widespread unusual weather condition (especially of unusual temperatures); "a heat wave"
9.
a member of the women's reserve of the United States Navy; originally organized during World War II but now no longer a separate branch
verb
1.
signal with the hands or nod; "She waved to her friends"; "He waved his hand hospitably" [syn: beckon]
2.
move or swing back and forth; "She waved her gun" [syn: brandish]
3.
move in a wavy pattern or with a rising and falling motion; "The curtains undulated"; "the waves rolled towards the beach" [syn: roll]
4.
twist or roll into coils or ringlets; "curl my hair, please" [syn: curl]
5.
set waves in; "she asked the hairdresser to wave her hair"
a moving ridge, larger than a ripple, moving on the surface of water Example: rolling waves; a boat tossing on the waves
Arabic:
مَوْجَه
Chinese (Simplified):
波浪
Chinese (Traditional):
波浪
Czech:
vlna
Danish:
bølge
Dutch:
golf
Estonian:
laine
Finnish:
aalto
French:
vague
German:
die Welle
Greek:
κύμα
Hungarian:
hullám
Icelandic:
bylgja, alda, bára
Indonesian:
ombak
Italian:
onda
Japanese:
波
Korean:
물결, 파도
Latvian:
vilnis
Lithuanian:
banga
Norwegian:
bølge
Polish:
fala
Portuguese (Brazil):
onda
Portuguese (Portugal):
onda
Romanian:
val
Russian:
волна
Slovak:
vlna
Slovenian:
val
Spanish:
ola
Swedish:
våg
Turkish:
dalga
wave2[weiv]noun
a vibration travelling eg through the air Example: radio waves; sound waves; light waves
Arabic:
مَوْجَةٌ صوتيَّه أو ضوئِيَّه
Chinese (Simplified):
（电、声、光）波
Chinese (Traditional):
(電、聲、光)波
Czech:
vlna
Danish:
bølge; -bølge
Dutch:
golf
Estonian:
laine
Finnish:
aalto
French:
onde
German:
die Welle
Greek:
κύμα, δόνηση
Hungarian:
hullám
Icelandic:
bylgja
Indonesian:
gelombang
Italian:
onda
Japanese:
音波
Korean:
파동, 파
Latvian:
vilnis
Lithuanian:
banga
Norwegian:
bølge
Polish:
fala
Portuguese (Brazil):
onda
Portuguese (Portugal):
onda
Romanian:
undă
Russian:
волна
Slovak:
vlna
Slovenian:
valovanje
Spanish:
onda
Swedish:
våg
Turkish:
dalga
wave3[weiv]noun
a curve or curves in the hair Example: Are those waves natural?
Arabic:
مَوجَةٌ في الشَّعرْ، تَمَوُّج
Chinese (Simplified):
（头发的）波浪
Chinese (Traditional):
(頭發的)波浪
Czech:
vlna
Danish:
fald
Dutch:
golving
Estonian:
(juukse)laine
Finnish:
laine
French:
ondulation
German:
die Welle
Greek:
κατσάρωμα
Hungarian:
(haj)hullám
Icelandic:
liður, krulla
Indonesian:
ombak
Italian:
ondulazione
Japanese:
ウェーブ
Korean:
웨이브
Latvian:
(matu) cirtas
Lithuanian:
banga
Norwegian:
fall, bølge
Polish:
fala
Portuguese (Brazil):
onda
Portuguese (Portugal):
onda
Romanian:
ondulaţie
Russian:
волнистость
Slovak:
vlna
Slovenian:
koder
Spanish:
onda, ondulación
Swedish:
våg
Turkish:
dalga
wave4[weiv]noun
a (usually temporary) rise or increase Example: the recent crime wave; a wave of violence; The pain came in waves.
Arabic:
زِيادَه، إرْتِفاع
Chinese (Simplified):
高潮
Chinese (Traditional):
高潮
Czech:
vlna
Danish:
bølge
Dutch:
golf
Estonian:
laine
Finnish:
aalto
French:
vague
German:
die Welle
Greek:
κύμα, τάση
Hungarian:
hullám
Icelandic:
(glæpa)alda, bylgja
Indonesian:
gelombang
Italian:
ondata
Japanese:
高まり
Korean:
증가, 상향 곡선
Latvian:
vilnis
Lithuanian:
protrūkis
Norwegian:
bølge
Polish:
fala
Portuguese (Brazil):
onda
Portuguese (Portugal):
onda
Romanian:
val
Russian:
подъём, волна
Slovak:
vlna
Slovenian:
val
Spanish:
ola
Swedish:
våg
Turkish:
… dalgası; artış
wave5[weiv]noun
an act of waving Example: She recognized me, and gave me a wave.
Arabic:
تَلْويحة باليَد
Chinese (Simplified):
（用手挥动）表示致意，示意
Chinese (Traditional):
(用手揮動)表示致意，示意
Czech:
zamávání
Danish:
vink
Dutch:
wuivend gebaar
Estonian:
viibe
Finnish:
heilautus
French:
signe de la main
German:
das Winken
Greek:
χαιρετισμός, γνέψιμο
Hungarian:
intés
Icelandic:
vink, veif
Indonesian:
lambaian
Italian:
cenno
Japanese:
手を振る合図
Korean:
(손·손수건 등을) 흔들기
Latvian:
(rokas) mājiens
Lithuanian:
mojavimas
Norwegian:
vinking, vift
Polish:
machnięcie, skinięcie
Portuguese (Brazil):
aceno
Portuguese (Portugal):
aceno de mão
Romanian:
semn cu mâna
Russian:
взмах
Slovak:
(za)kývanie, pokynutie
Slovenian:
mahanje
Spanish:
señal, *saludo, *ademán con la mano
Swedish:
vinkning
Turkish:
el sallama
wave1[weiv]verb
to move backwards and forwards or flutter Example: The flags waved gently in the breeze.
Arabic:
يَموج
Chinese (Simplified):
飘扬
Chinese (Traditional):
飄揚
Czech:
vlát
Danish:
vaje
Dutch:
wapperen
Estonian:
lehvi(ta)ma
Finnish:
liehua
French:
flotter (au vent)
German:
wehen
Greek:
κυματίζω
Hungarian:
lobog
Icelandic:
blakta
Indonesian:
berkibar
Italian:
sventolare
Japanese:
揺れ動く
Korean:
흔들리다, 나부끼다
Latvian:
viļņoties; plīvot
Lithuanian:
plazdėti
Norwegian:
vifte, vaie, svinge
Polish:
falować, powiewać
Portuguese (Brazil):
ondular
Portuguese (Portugal):
ondular
Romanian:
a flutura (în vânt)
Russian:
развеваться
Slovak:
viať, povievať
Slovenian:
plapolati
Spanish:
ondular
Swedish:
bölja, fladdra
Turkish:
dalgalanmak
wave2[weiv]verb
to (cause hair to) curve first one way then the other Example: She's had her hair waved; Her hair waves naturally.
Arabic:
يَلوح، يَتَمَوَّج
Chinese (Simplified):
使头发成波浪形
Chinese (Traditional):
使頭發成波浪形
Czech:
vlnit se; (na)ondulovat
Danish:
få håret lagt i bølger
Dutch:
(doen) golven
Estonian:
laineliseks tegema, lainesse hoidma
Finnish:
laineittaa
French:
onduler
German:
(sich) wellen
Greek:
κατσαρώνω, κάνω περμανάντ, είμαι κατσαρός
Hungarian:
hullámos
Icelandic:
liða(st)
Indonesian:
mengombak
Italian:
ondulare
Japanese:
ウェーブしている
Korean:
웨이브지다; 웨이브지게 하다
Latvian:
cirtot (matus); cirtoties
Lithuanian:
banguoti(s)
Norwegian:
legge håret; ha naturlig fall; ta permanent
Polish:
falować, ondulować
Portuguese (Brazil):
ondular
Portuguese (Portugal):
ondear(-se)
Romanian:
a ondula
Russian:
завить; виться
Slovak:
vlniť sa; naondulovať
Slovenian:
kodrati (se)
Spanish:
ondular
Swedish:
göra vågig, självfall
Turkish:
perma yaptırmak
wave3[weiv]verb
to make a gesture (of greeting etc) with (eg the hand) Example: She waved to me across the street; Everyone was waving handkerchiefs in farewell; They waved goodbye.
Arabic:
يُلَوِّح بِيَدِه
Chinese (Simplified):
招手致意
Chinese (Traditional):
招手致意
Czech:
mávat
Danish:
vinke
Dutch:
wuiven
Estonian:
viipama
Finnish:
vilkuttaa
French:
saluer d'un signe de la main
German:
winken
Greek:
χαιρετώ, γνέφω κουνώντας το χέρι, ανεμίζω
Hungarian:
integet
Icelandic:
veifa, vinka
Indonesian:
melambai
Italian:
(fare segno)
Japanese:
振って合図する
Korean:
(손 등을) 흔들어 인사하다
Latvian:
māt; vicināt roku
Lithuanian:
mojuoti, mosuoti
Norwegian:
vinke
Polish:
machnąć, skinąć
Portuguese (Brazil):
acenar
Portuguese (Portugal):
acenar
Romanian:
a face semn cu mâna
Russian:
махать
Slovak:
(za)mávať, (za)kývať
Slovenian:
(po)mahati
Spanish:
saludar (con la mano)
Swedish:
vinka
Turkish:
el sallamak
ˈwave(band)noun
a range of wavelengths on which eg radio signals are broadcast
A disturbance, oscillation, or vibration, either of a medium and moving through that medium (such as water and sound waves), or of some quantity with different values at different points in space, moving through space (such as electromagnetic waves or a quantum mechanical wave described by the wave function). See also longitudinal wave, transverse wave, wave function. See Note at refraction.
In physics, any regularly recurring event, such as surf coming in toward a beach, that can be thought of as a disturbance moving through a medium. Waves are characterized by wavelength, frequency, and the speed at which they move. Waves are found in many forms.
Note: The motion of a wave and the motion of the medium on which the wave moves are not the same: ocean waves, for example, move toward the beach, but the water itself merely moves up and down. Sound waves are spread by alternating compression and expansion of air.
WAVElanguage, robotics A robotics language. ["WAVE: A Model-Based Language for Manipulator Control", R.P. Paul, Ind Robot 4(1):10-17, 1979]. (1996-09-08)
Wave\, n. 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.
Waft\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Wafted; p. pr. & vb. n. Wafting.] [Prob. originally imp. & p. p. of wave, v. t. See Wave to waver.]1. To give notice to by waving something; to wave the hand to; to beckon. [Obs.] But soft: who wafts us yonder? --Shak. 2. To cause to move or go in a wavy manner, or by the impulse of waves, as of water or air; to bear along on a buoyant medium; as, a balloon was wafted over the channel. A gentle wafting to immortal life. --Milton. Speed the soft intercourse from soul to soul, And waft a sigh from Indus to the pole. --Pope. 3. To cause to float; to keep from sinking; to buoy. [Obs.] --Sir T. Browne. Note: This verb is regular; but waft was formerly som?times used, as by Shakespeare, instead of wafted.
Waive\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Waived; p. pr. & vb. n. Waiving.] [OE. waiven, weiven, to set aside, remove, OF. weyver, quesver, to waive, of Scand. origin; cf. Icel. veifa to wave, to vibrate, akin to Skr. vip to tremble. Cf. Vibrate, Waif.] [Written also wave.]1. To relinquish; to give up claim to; not to insist on or claim; to refuse; to forego. He waiveth milk, and flesh, and all. --Chaucer. We absolutely do renounce or waive our own opinions, absolutely yielding to the direction of others. --Barrow. 2. To throw away; to cast off; to reject; to desert. 3. (Law) (a) To throw away; to relinquish voluntarily, as a right which one may enforce if he chooses. (b) (O. Eng. Law) To desert; to abandon. --Burrill. Note: The term was applied to a woman, in the same sense as outlaw to a man. A woman could not be outlawed, in the proper sense of the word, because, according to Bracton, she was never in law, that is, in a frankpledge or decennary; but she might be waived, and held as abandoned. --Burrill.
Wave\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Waved (w[=a]vd); p. pr. & vb. n. Waving.] [OE. waven, AS. wafian to waver, to hesitate, to wonder; akin to w[ae]fre wavering, restless, MHG. wabern to be in motion, Icel. vafra to hover about; cf. Icel. v[=a]fa to vibrate. Cf. Waft, Waver.]1. To play loosely; to move like a wave, one way and the other; to float; to flutter; to undulate. His purple robes waved careless to the winds. --Trumbull. Where the flags of three nations has successively waved. --Hawthorne. 2. To be moved to and fro as a signal. --B. Jonson. 3. To fluctuate; to waver; to be in an unsettled state; to vacillate. [Obs.] He waved indifferently 'twixt doing them neither good nor harm. --Shak.
Wave\, v. t. 1. To move one way and the other; to brandish. "[[AE]neas] waved his fatal sword." --Dryden. 2. To raise into inequalities of surface; to give an undulating form a surface to. Horns whelked and waved like the enridged sea. --Shak. 3. To move like a wave, or by floating; to waft. [Obs.] --Sir T. Browne. 4. 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. Look, with what courteous action It waves you to a more removed ground. --Shak. She spoke, and bowing waved Dismissal. --Tennyson.
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Audio Help [weyv] Pronunciation Key noun, verb, waved, wav·ing. 
