shock

shock¹ W2S2 [ʃɔk US ʃa:k] n

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1¦(unexpected event/situation)¦

2¦(unexpected unpleasant feeling)¦

3¦(medical)¦

4¦(electricity)¦

5¦(vehicle)¦

6 shock of hair

7¦(sudden change)¦

8¦(shaking)¦

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[Sense: 1-5, 7-8; Origin: French choc, from choquer 'to strike against']

[Sense: 6; Date: 1800-1900; Origin: Perhaps from shock 'bunch of cut wheat, corn, etc.' (14-20 centuries), or from shock 'dog with long rough hair' (17-19 centuries)]

1.) ¦(UNEXPECTED EVENT/SITUATION)¦ [C usually singular]

if something that happens is a shock, you did not expect it, and it makes you feel very surprised, and usually upset

be a shock to discover/find/realize etc that

▪ It was a real shock to hear that the factory would have to close.

▪ Chuck's death came as a complete shock to all of us.

▪ Moving to France was a bit of a shock to the system (=a big shock) .

2.) ¦(UNEXPECTED UNPLEASANT FEELING)¦ [singular, U]

the feeling of surprise and disbelief you have when something very unexpected happens, especially something bad or frightening

▪ She was shaking with shock and humiliation.

▪ The whole town was still in a state of shock (=extremely shocked by something and unable to think or react normally) .

get/have the shock of your life

BrE (=get a very big shock)

▪ He got the shock of his life when he found out who I was.

shock of (doing) sth

▪ Mom's never really gotten over the shock of Dad's death.

▪ They'll get a shock when they get this bill.

▪ Anyone who thinks that bringing up children is easy is in for a big shock (=will have a big shock) .

3.) ¦(MEDICAL)¦[U]

a medical condition in which someone looks pale and their heart and lungs are not working correctly, usually after a sudden very unpleasant experience

▪ He was bleeding from the head and suffering from shock .

▪ He is clearly in a state of shock .

▪ The tanker driver was treated for shock and released.

4.) ¦(ELECTRICITY)¦

an ↑electric shock

5.) ¦(VEHICLE)¦ [C usually plural]

a ↑shock absorber

6.) shock of hair

a very thick mass of hair

▪ an energetic young man with a shock of red hair

7.) ¦(SUDDEN CHANGE)¦

a sudden unexpected change which threatens the economic situation, way of life, or traditions of a group of people - used especially in news reports

▪ the oil shocks of the 1970s

8.) ¦(SHAKING)¦ [U and C]

violent shaking caused for example by an explosion or ↑earthquake

▪ The shock was felt miles away.

→↑shock wave, ↑culture shock, ↑shocked, ↑shell shock, ↑toxic shock syndrome

shock ²

shock² v

1.) [T]

to make someone feel very surprised and upset, and unable to believe what has happened

▪ The hatred in her voice shocked him.

shock sb to hear/learn/discover etc that

▪ They had been shocked to hear that the hospital was closing down.

▪ It shocked me to think how close we had come to being killed.

shock sb into (doing) sth

▪ She was shocked into action by the desperate situation in the orphanages.

2.) [I and T]

to make someone feel very offended, by talking or behaving in an immoral or socially unacceptable way

▪ He seems to enjoy shocking people.

▪ Just ignore the bad language - they only do it to shock.

→↑shocked, ↑shocking

shock ³

shock³ adj [only before noun]

1.) very surprising - used especially in news reports

▪ England's shock defeat by Luxembourg

2.) shock tactics

methods of achieving what you want by deliberately shocking people

▪ Shock tactics are being used to stop drink drivers.