surge definition | Dictionary.com

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.

Meteorology.

a.	a widespread change in atmospheric pressure that is in addition to cyclonic and normal diurnal changes.

b.	storm surge.

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.

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.

–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.

15.	Machinery. to move with pulsating unevenness, as something driven by an engine or gas turbine.

–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; perh. < L surgere to spring up, arise, stand up

storm surge

–noun

an abnormal rise in the level of the sea along a coast caused by the onshore winds of a severe cyclone.

Also called stormtide, surge.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Link To surge

surge (sûrj)

v. surged, surg·ing, surg·es

v. intr.

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.
1. Wave motion with low height and a shorter period than a swell.
2. A coastal rise in water level caused by wind.
3. The part of a windlass into which the cable surges.
4. 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
1. The part of a windlass into which the cable surges.
2. 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.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Surge

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

Surge\, v. i. 1. To swell; to rise hifg and roll.

The surging waters like a mountain rise. --Spenser.

2. (Naut.) To slip along a windlass.

Surge

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).

Language Translation for : surge

Spanish: levantarse; agitarse,

German: wogen,

Japanese: 押し寄せる

More Translations »

surge (n.)

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.

surge (sûrj) Pronunciation Key
A coastal rise in water level caused by wind.

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

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