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shock
1[ shok ]
noun
- a sudden and violent blow or impact; collision.
- a sudden or violent disturbance or commotion:
the shock of battle.
- a sudden or violent disturbance of the mind, emotions, or sensibilities:
The burglary was a shock to her sense of security. The book provided a shock, nothing more.
- the cause of such a disturbance:
The rebuke came as a shock.
- Pathology. a collapse of circulatory function, caused by severe injury, blood loss, or disease, and characterized by pallor, sweating, weak pulse, and very low blood pressure. Compare anaphylactic shock, cardiogenic shock, hypovolemic shock.
- the physiological effect produced by the passage of an electric current through the body.
- shocks, Informal. shock absorbers, especially in the suspension of an automobile.
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
- to undergo a shock.
shock
2[ shok ]
noun
- a group of sheaves of grain placed on end and supporting one another in the field.
verb (used with object)
- to make into shocks.
shock
3[ shok ]
noun
- a thick, bushy mass, as of hair.
- Also shock dog. a dog with long, shaggy hair.
adjective
- shaggy, as hair.
shock
1/ ʃɒk /
noun
- a number of sheaves set on end in a field to dry
- a pile or stack of unthreshed corn
verb
- tr to set up (sheaves) in shocks
shock
2/ ʃɒk /
verb
- to experience or cause to experience extreme horror, disgust, surprise, etc
the atrocities shocked us
she shocks easily
- to cause a state of shock in (a person)
- to come or cause to come into violent contact; jar
noun
- a sudden and violent jarring blow or impact
- something that causes a sudden and violent disturbance in the emotions
the shock of her father's death made her ill
- pathol a state of bodily collapse or near collapse caused by circulatory failure or sudden lowering of the blood pressure, as from severe bleeding, burns, fright, etc
- pathol pain and muscular spasm as the physical reaction to an electric current passing through the body
shock
3/ ʃɒk /
noun
- a thick bushy mass, esp of hair
adjective
- rare.bushy; shaggy
shock
/ shŏk /
- An instance of the passage of an electric current through the body. The amount of injury caused by electric shock depends on the type and strength of the current, the length of time the current is applied, and the route the current takes once it enters the body.
- A life-threatening condition marked by a severe drop in blood pressure, resulting from serious injury or illness.
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Derived Forms
- ˌshockaˈbility, noun
- ˈshockable, adjective
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Other Words From
- shocka·ble adjective
- shocka·bili·ty noun
- shocked·ness noun
- shocklike adjective
- unshock·a·bili·ty noun
- un·shocka·ble adjective
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Word History and Origins
Origin of shock1
Origin of shock2
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Word History and Origins
Origin of shock1
Origin of shock2
Origin of shock3
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Idioms and Phrases
see culture shock .Discover More
Synonym Study
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Example Sentences
Only those shock waves would produce neutrinos and fast radio bursts at the same time, Metzger says.
Shortly after his own win, Carlsson shocked his children by getting his forearm inked with the words “World Champion” spiraling around a ladle.
“I can’t say as it comes as a huge shock to me,” Miyoshi said when told of the EEOC findings.
I’m shocked and I don’t really have anything to say about that.
Growth stocks, meanwhile, tend to do well when there’s a big shock, such as a pandemic.
Citizens were watching in shock from above on the subway station.
But fans still feel the death was a last-minute decision made for shock value rather than to serve the story.
Shock at what the government considers dangerous and high risk could be read across social media.
She lost control of her bladder as she crouched in a corner, shaking, and unable to move her body due to the shock.
Some were silent from shock, others giddy and smiling as they boarded the U.S. Air Force C-130s.
Like an electric shock, the well-known chords of the Tragala aroused his hearers—every one crowded round the singer.
The violent shock dazed Malcolm for a second, but all might yet have been well were it not for an unavoidable accident.
She was a woman of too much natural and acquired poise to remain askew under any shock.
He feared to shock her by the sudden mention of the Senora's death; yet that would harm her less than continued anxiety.
Were he a young man, they could save him by cutting off his leg high up, but as it is he would not stand the shock.
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Related Words
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More About Shock
What is a basic definition of shock?
A shock is a sudden, intense mental or physical impact. Shock is also the effect of having electricity run through the body. To shock someone means to intensely surprise or horrify someone. Shock has several other senses as a noun and a verb.
The word shock often refers to a sudden mental disturbance that causes an intense emotion, usually surprise or horror. You might feel a shock when you see a failing grade on a test. The word shock can also refer to whatever causes this sudden surprise. The noun shocker and adjective shocking often refer to this sense of shock.
- Used in a sentence: It took Julie a few minutes to recover from the shock of seeing a dancing circus bear in her living room.
Shock is used in this same sense as a verb to mean to cause someone to be suddenly overwhelmed by emotion (usually surprise or horror).
- Used in a sentence: I was shocked by my incredibly high phone bill.
A shock can also be a sudden physical impact. This sense is less common than the emotional one.
- Used in a sentence: The springs absorbed most of the shock from colliding with the wall.
Shock also refers to the bodily imbalance, discomfort, or damage caused by electricity running through a person’s body. This sense is often specifically referred to as “an electric shock,” especially when discussing injuries or medical emergencies.
- Used in a sentence: The electrician barely survived the electric shock he got while working on the power lines.
In this same sense, shock is used as a verb to mean to give an electric shock to someone.
- Used in a sentence: The squirrel was shocked by the cord while chewing on it.
Where does shock come from?
The first records of shock come from around 1565. It ultimately comes from the Old French verb choquier, meaning “to clash in batte.”
Did you know ... ?
What are some other forms related to shock?
What are some synonyms for shock?
What are some words that share a root or word element with shock?
What are some words that often get used in discussing shock?
How is shock used in real life?
Shock is a common word that most often refers to sudden surprises or electrical accidents.
This may come as a shock to some of you but 2020 was kind of a bummer
— tamar (@tsassizzle) December 31, 2020
Can’t stop thinking about that guy who moved from San Diego to Austin and was shocked his quality of life declined
— Matthew Zeitlin (@MattZeitlin) January 4, 2021
I got shocked by my phone charger cable last night & it sparked when I looked at it. The wiring is exposed & all that. It's probably time to retire that cord.
— Stray Adult™ (@StrayAdult) January 15, 2018
Try using shock!
True or False?
If something is a shock, it is unlikely to bother someone as they expected it to happen.
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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