- wave
- wave1 W2S3 [weıv] n▬▬▬▬▬▬▬1¦(sea)¦2¦(increase)¦3¦(people and things)¦4¦(light and sound)¦5¦(signal)¦67¦(hair)¦8 make waves9 new wave1011 the waves▬▬▬▬▬▬▬1.) ¦(SEA)¦a line of raised water that moves across the surface of the sea▪ Dee watched the waves breaking on the shore.▪ a ship riding the ocean waves▪ A powerful tidal wave (=very large wave) struck Jamaica, killing 2000.▪ the white crests of the waves2.) ¦(INCREASE)¦ [C usually singular]a sudden increase in a particular type of behaviour, activity, or feelinga wave of anger/sympathy/relief etc▪ There was a wave of public sympathy for her when she died.a wave of terror/fear/panic▪ A wave of panic spread through the crowd.a wave of nausea/dizziness/tiredness▪ A wave of nausea swept over me.a wave of violence/attacks/bombings▪ the recent wave of terrorist bombings▪ the latest crime wave to hit New York3.) ¦(PEOPLE AND THINGS)¦a sudden increase in the number of people or things arriving at the same timewave of▪ a new wave of immigrants▪ They faced wave after wave of fresh troops.4.) ¦(LIGHT AND SOUND)¦the form in which some types of energy such as light and sound travelsound/light/radio wave5.) ¦(SIGNAL)¦ [C usually singular]a movement in which you raise your arm and move your hand from side to side▪ He dismissed her with a wave of the hand .6.)a feeling or activity that happens again and again in a series▪ The pain swept over him in waves .▪ Wave after wave of aircraft passed overhead.7.) ¦(HAIR)¦ [C usually plural]a loose curl in your hair8.) make waves informalto cause problems, especially when you should not▪ With so many jobs already cut, he didn't want to make waves.9.) new wavea new style of music, art, film etc that is very different and unusual▪ new wave musicnew wave of▪ the new wave of Black feminist theorists10.) [C usually singular] AmEan occasion when many people who are watching an event stand up, move their arms up and down, and sit down again one after another in a continuous movement that looks like a wave moving on the seaBritish Equivalent: Mexican wave11.) the wavesliterary the seawave 2wave2 W3S3 v▬▬▬▬▬▬▬1¦(hand)¦2¦(move)¦3¦(signal)¦4 wave something goodbye/wave goodbye to something5 wave a magic wand6¦(hair)¦Phrasal verbswave something<=>asidewave somebody/something<=>downwave somebody<=>off▬▬▬▬▬▬▬[: Old English; Origin: wafian 'to wave with the hands']1.) ¦(HAND)¦ [I and T]to raise your arm and move your hand from side to side in order to make someone notice youwave to/at▪ She turned to wave to the approaching soldiers.▪ Enid waved at us and we waved back.wave (sb) goodbye(=say goodbye to someone by waving to them)▪ The nurses came out to wave Grandad goodbye.2.) ¦(MOVE)¦ [I and T]if you wave something, or if it waves, it moves from side to side▪ The starter waved a green flag to indicate that the race would begin.▪ a tree waving in the breeze▪ He waved a hand in the air to attract her attention.wave sth under/at etc sb/sth▪ Trudie waved a $50 bill under his nose.wave sth around/about▪ The stranger spoke rapidly, waving his arms around.3.) ¦(SIGNAL)¦ [T always + adverb/preposition]to show someone which way to go by waving your hand in that directionwave sb through/on/away etc▪ The border guards waved us through.▪ Peter waved them back to their seats.4.) wave sth goodbye/wave goodbye to sth informalto be forced to accept that something you want will not happen▪ If you're not careful, you can wave goodbye to any pay rise this year.5.) wave a magic wandto make a bad situation better, even though this is impossible▪ I can't wave a magic wand and change what happened.6.) ¦(HAIR)¦ [I and T]if hair waves, or if it is waved, it forms loose curlswave aside [wave sth<=>aside] phr vto ignore someone's opinion or ideas because you do not think they are important▪ He waved her protests aside.wave down [wave sb/sth<=>down] phr vto signal to the driver of a car to stop by waving at them▪ People in passing cars tried waving him down.wave off [wave sb<=>off] phr vto wave goodbye to someone as they leave▪ Are you coming to the station to wave me off?
Dictionary of contemporary English. 2013.