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surge

 [surj]   Origin

surge

   [surj] noun, verb, surged, surg·ing.
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.
the rolling swell of the sea.
4.
the swelling and rolling sea: The surge crashed against the rocky coast.
5.
a swelling wave; billow.
EXPAND
6.
Meteorology.
a.
a widespread change in atmospheric pressure that is in addition to cyclonic and normal diurnal changes.
b.
storm surge.
7.
Electricity.
a.
a sudden rush or burst of current or voltage.
b.
a violent oscillatory disturbance.
8.
Nautical. a slackening or slipping back, as of a rope or cable.
9.
Machinery.
a.
an uneven flow and strong momentum given to a fluid, as water in a tank, resulting in a rapid, temporary rise in pressure.
b.
pulsating unevenness of motion in an engine or gas turbine.
COLLAPSE
verb (used without object)
10.
(of a ship) to rise and fall, toss about, or move along on the waves: to surge at anchor.
11.
to rise, roll, move, or swell forward in or like waves: The sea surged against the shore. The crowd surged back and forth.
12.
to rise as if by a heaving or swelling force: Blood surged to his face.
13.
Electricity.
a.
to increase suddenly, as current or voltage.
b.
to oscillate violently.
14.
Nautical.
a.
to slack off or loosen a rope or cable around a capstan or windlass.
b.
to slip back, as a rope.
EXPAND
15.
Machinery. to move with pulsating unevenness, as something driven by an engine or gas turbine.
COLLAPSE

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Surge is always a great word to know.
So is woolpack. Does it mean:
a cumulus cloud of fleecy appearance with a horizontal base
the change in atmospheric pressure per unit of horizontal distance in the direction in which pressure changes most rapidly
LEARN MORE UNUSUAL WORDS WITH WORD DYNAMO...
verb (used with object)
16.
to cause to surge or roll in or as in waves.
17.
Nautical. to slacken (a rope).
Origin:
1480–90; perhaps < Latin surgere to spring up, arise, stand up

Related forms
un·surg·ing, adjective

Can be confused: serge, surge.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source Link To surge
Collins
World English Dictionary
surge (sɜːdʒ)
 
—n
1.  a strong rush or sweep; sudden increase: a surge of anger
2.  the rolling swell of the sea, esp after the passage of a large wave
3.  a heavy rolling motion or sound: the 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
 
—vb
10.  (intr) (of waves, the sea, etc) to rise or roll with a heavy swelling motion
11.  (intr) to move like a heavy sea
12.  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
13.  (intr) (of an electric current or voltage) to undergo a large momentary increase
14.  rare (tr) to cause to move in or as if in a wave or waves
 
[C15: from Latin surgere to rise, from sub- up + regere to lead]
 
'surgeless
 
—adj
 
'surger
 
—n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

surge
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;
EXPAND
figurative sense of "excited rising up" (as of feelings) is from 1520. The verb is first recorded 1511.
COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Science Dictionary
surge   (sûrj)  Pronunciation Key 
A coastal rise in water level caused by wind.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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FOLDOC
Computing Dictionary

SURGE definition


Sorter, Updater, Report Generator, Etc. IBM 704, 1959. Sammet 1969, p.8.

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © Denis Howe 2010 http://foldoc.org
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