Dictionary Home » Dictionary Definitions » wave

wave

Listen See in Thesaurus See in a sentence

intransitive verb waved, waving

to move up and down or back and forth in a curving or undulating motion; swing, sway, or flutter to and fro: said of flexible things free at one end: flags waving in the breeze
to signal by moving a hand, arm, light, etc. to and fro
to have the form of a series of curves or undulations: hair that waves naturally

transitive verb

to cause to wave, undulate, or sway to and fro
to swing or brandish (a weapon)
1. to move or swing (something) as a signal; motion with (the hand, arms, etc.)
2. to signal (something) by doing this: to wave farewell
3. to signal or signify something to (someone) by doing this: he waved us on
to give an undulating form to; make sinuous: to wave one's hair

noun

a ridge or swell moving along the surface of a liquid or body of water as a result of disturbance, as by wind
1. an undulation or series of undulations in or on a surface, such as that caused by wind over a field of grain
2. a curve or series of curves or curls, as in the hair
3. an appearance of undulation, by reflection of light, on watered fabric
a motion to and fro or up and down, such as that made by the hand in signaling
something like a wave in action or effect; specif.,
1. an upsurge or rise, as to a crest, or a progressively swelling manifestation: a crime wave, heat wave, wave of emotion, etc.
2. a movement of people, etc., in groups or masses, which recedes or grows smaller before subsiding or being followed by another: a wave of immigrants
Old Poet. water; esp., the sea or other body of water
Physics a periodic motion or disturbance consisting of a series of many oscillations that propagate through a medium or space, as in the propagation of sound or light: the medium does not travel outward from the source with the wave but only vibrates as it passes

Related Forms:

waveless adjective
wavelike adjective
waver noun

noun

a member of the WAVES

See wave in American Heritage Dictionary 4

(wāv)

verb waved waved, wav·ing, WAVES waves

verb, intransitive

To move freely back and forth or up and down in the air, as branches in the wind.
To make a signal with an up-and-down or back-and-forth movement of the hand or an object held in the hand: waved as she drove by.
To have an undulating or wavy form; curve or curl: Her hair waves naturally.

verb, transitive

To cause to move back and forth or up and down, either once or repeatedly: She waved a fan before her face.
a. To move or swing as in giving a signal: He waved his hand. See Synonyms at flourish.
b. To signal or express by waving the hand or an object held in the hand: We waved goodbye.
c. To signal (a person) to move in a specified direction: The police officer waved the motorist into the right lane.
To arrange into curves, curls, or undulations: wave one's hair.

noun

a. A ridge or swell moving through or along the surface of a large body of water.
b. A small ridge or swell moving across the interface of two fluids and dependent on surface tension.
The sea. Often used in the plural: vanished beneath the waves.
Something that suggests the form and motion of a wave in the sea, especially:
a. A moving curve or succession of curves in or on a surface; an undulation: waves of wheat in the wind.
b. A curve or succession of curves, as in the hair.
c. A curved shape, outline, or pattern.
A movement up and down or back and forth: a wave of the hand.
a. A surge or rush, as of sensation: a wave of nausea; a wave of indignation.
b. A sudden great rise, as in activity or intensity: a wave of panic selling on the stock market.
c. A rising trend that involves large numbers of individuals: a wave of conservatism.
d. One of a succession of mass movements: the first wave of settlers.
e. A maneuver in which fans at a sports event simulate an ocean wave by rising quickly in sequence with arms upraised and then quickly sitting down again in a continuous rolling motion.
A widespread, persistent meteorological condition, especially of temperature: a heat wave.
Physics
a. A disturbance traveling through a medium by which energy is transferred from one particle of the medium to another without causing any permanent displacement of the medium itself.
b. A graphic representation of the variation of such a disturbance with time.
c. A single cycle of such a disturbance.

Phrasal Verb: wave off To dismiss or refuse by waving the hand or arm: waved off his invitation to join the group. Sports To cancel or nullify by waving the arms, usually from a crossed position: waved off the goal because time had run out.

Related Forms: