Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense waves, present participle waving, past tense, past participle waved
1. verb
If you wave or wave your hand, you move your hand from side to side in the air, usually in order to say hello or goodbye to someone.
Jessica caught sight of Lois and waved to her. [Vto/at n]
He waved at the waiter, who rushed to the table. [V + to/at]
He grinned, waved, and said, 'Hi!'. [VERB]
Elaine turned and waved her hand lazily and left. [VERB noun]
[Also VERB noun preposition]
Wave is also a noun.
Steve stopped him with a wave of the hand. [+ of]
Paddy spotted Mary Ann and gave her a cheery wave.
2. verb
If you wave someone away or wave them on, you make a movement with your hand to indicate that they should move ina particular direction.
Leshka waved him away with a show of irritation. [VERB noun adverb/preposition]
He waved the servants out of the tent. [VERB noun adverb/preposition]
3. verb
If you wave something, you hold it up and move it rapidly from side to side.
Hospital staff were outside to welcome him, waving flags and applauding. [VERB noun]
She was apt to raise her voice and wave her hands about. [VERB noun adverb/preposition]
-wavingcombining form
Hundreds of banner-waving demonstrators took to the streets.
...a flag-waving crowd.
4. verb
If something waves, it moves gently from side to side or up and down.
...grass and flowers waving in the wind. [VERB]
5. countable noun
A wave is a raised mass of water on the surface of water, especially the sea, which is caused by the wind or by tides making the surface of the water rise and fall.
...the sound of the waves breaking on the shore.
Synonyms: ripple, breaker, sea surf, swell More Synonyms of wave
6. countable noun
If someone's hair has waves, it curves slightly instead of being straight.
7. countable noun
A wave is a sudden increase in heat or energy that spreads out from an earthquake or explosion.
The shock waves of the earthquake were felt in Teheran. [+ of]
The blast wave crushed the breath from Neil, but he survived.
Synonyms: vibration, ripple, resonance, tremor More Synonyms of wave
8. countable noun [usually plural]
Waves are the form in which things such as sound, light, and radio signals travel.
Sound waves, light waves, and radio waves have a certain frequency.
9. countable noun
If you refer to a waveof a particular feeling, you mean that it increases quickly and becomes very intense, and then often decreases again.
She felt a wave of panic, but forced herself to leave the room calmly. [+ of]
A wave of sympathy for her swept Ireland.
The loneliness and grief comes in waves.
10. countable noun
A wave is a sudden increase in a particular activity or type of behaviour, especially anundesirable or unpleasant one.
...the current wave of violence. [+ of]
...an even newer crime wave.
Shortages of bread, meat and gasoline hit the city in waves.
Synonyms: outbreak, trend, rash, upsurge More Synonyms of wave
11. countable noun [usually singular, oft NOUNof noun]
A wave is a large number of people moving somewhere at the same time.
The rising violence sent a wave of refugees across the border.
Their commander ordered them forward in waves.
12. countable noun
If a crowd of people do the wave, each person in the crowd stands up and puts their arms in the air after the person to one side of them, then sits down again, creating a continuous wave-like motion through the crowd.
[US]regional note: in BRIT, use Mexican wave
13. See also long wave, medium wave, Mexican wave, new wave, short-wave, tidal wave
Phrasal verbs:
See wave aside
See wave down
More Synonyms of wave
wave in British English
(weɪv)
verb
1.
to move or cause to move freely to and fro
the banner waved in the wind
2. (intransitive)
to move the hand to and fro as a greeting
3.
to signal or signify by or as if by waving something
4. (transitive)
to direct to move by or as if by waving something
he waved me on
5.
to form or be formed into curves, undulations, etc
6. (transitive)
to give a wavy or watered appearance to (silk, etc)
7. (transitive)
to set waves in (the hair)
noun
8.
one of a sequence of ridges or undulations that moves across the surface of a body of a liquid, esp the sea:created by the wind or a moving object and gravity
9.
any undulation on or at the edge of a surface reminiscent of such a wave
a wave across the field of corn
10. the waves
11.
anything that suggests the movement of a wave, as by a sudden rise
a crime wave
12.
a widespread movement that advances in a body
a wave of settlers swept into the country
13.
the act or an instance of waving
14. physics
an oscillation propagated through a medium or space such that energy is periodically interchanged between two kinds of disturbance. For example, an oscillating electric field generates a magnetic oscillation and vice versa, hence an electromagnetic wave is produced. Similarly a wave on a liquid comprises vertical and horizontal displacements
See also antinode, longitudinal wave, node, standing wave, transverse wave
15. physics
a graphical representation of a wave obtained by plotting the magnitude of the disturbance against time at a particular point in the medium or space; waveform
16.
a prolonged spell of some weather condition
a heat wave
17.
an undulating curve or series of curves or loose curls in the hair
18.
an undulating pattern or finish on a fabric
19. short for wave moth
20. make waves
21. ride the wave
Derived forms
waveless (ˈwaveless)
adjective
wavelessly (ˈwavelessly)
adverb
wavelike (ˈwaveˌlike)
adjective
Word origin
Old English wafian (vb); related to Old High German weban to weave, Old Norse vafra; see waver; C16 (n) changed from earlier wāwe, probably from Old English wǣg motion; compare wag1
Wave in American English
(weɪv)
noun
a member of the WAVES
wave in American English
(weɪv)
verb intransitiveWord forms: waved or ˈwaving
1.
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
2.
to signal by moving a hand, arm, light, etc. to and fro
3.
to have the form of a series of curves or undulations
hair that waves naturally
verb transitive
4.
to cause to wave, undulate, or sway to and fro
5.
to swing or brandish (a weapon)
6.
a.
to move or swing (something) as a signal; motion with (the hand, arms, etc.)
b.
to signal (something) by doing this
to wave farewell
c.
to signal or signify something to (someone) by doing this
he waved us on
7.
to give an undulating form to; make sinuous
to wave one's hair
noun
8.
a ridge or swell moving along the surface of a liquid or body of water as a result of disturbance,as by wind
9.
a.
an undulation or series of undulations in or on a surface, such as that caused bywind over a field of grain
b.
a curve or series of curves or curls, as in the hair
c.
an appearance of undulation, by reflection of light, on watered fabric
10.
a motion to and fro or up and down, such as that made by the hand in signaling
11.
something like a wave in action or effect
; specif.,
a.
an upsurge or rise, as to a crest, or a progressively swelling manifestation
a crime wave, heat wave, wave of emotion, etc.
b.
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
12. OLD-FASHIONED, Poetic
water; esp., the sea or other body of water
13. Physics
a periodic motion or disturbance consisting of a series of many oscillations that propagatethrough a medium or space, as in the propagation of sound or light: the medium doesnot travel outward from the source with the wave but only vibrates as it passes
Idioms:
make waves
SYNONYMY NOTE: wave is the general word for a curving ridge or swell in the surface of the ocean or otherbody of water; , ripple1 is used of the smallest kind of wave, such as that caused by a breeze ruffling thesurface of water; , roller is applied to any of the large, heavy, swelling waves that roll in to the shore,as during a storm; , breaker1 is applied to such a wave when it breaks, or is about to break, into foam upon theshore or upon rocks; , billow is a somewhat poetic or rhetorical term for a great, heaving ocean wave
Derived forms
waveless (ˈwaveless)
adjective
wavelike (ˈwaveˌlike)
adjective
waver (ˈwaver)
noun
Word origin
ME waven < OE wafian, akin to Ger waben, to fluctuate < IE *webh-, to move to and fro, prob. identical with *webh-, to weave
More idioms containing
wave
on the crest of a wave
catch the wave
Examples of 'wave' in a sentence
wave
They suggested if she was having difficulties she would be waving her arms about more.
The Sun (2016)
But that is the sort of offence which should have been waved away.
The Sun (2017)
Wave a hand and it might display your messages.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The rapid waves of cold air are pushed upwards by the mountains into the stratosphere.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
He declined to hold his mother's hand and looked awkward while waving to the crowds.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
I feel a sudden wave of anxiety.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Rather than detecting reflected light waves to see objects, bats send out ultrasound waves and use the reflected sound to work out where things are.
Smithsonian Mag (2017)
Photographs and video footage from the scene showed charred lorries, their frames buckled by blast waves and intense heat, and punctured by shrapnel.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Then he waved the tablet again and said it was free that day.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Why are there no good panel shows on medium wave radio?
The Sun (2010)
She waved and the crowd waved back.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Wave energy is another promising source of power.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Here comes the opening double bill of yet another wave of space monsters.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The limit on light waves is much higher.
Schneider, Hermann & Schneider, Leo The Harper Dictionary of Science in Everyday Language (1988)
Then some people ran around waving big flags.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
No heat wave before or since has come anywhere near this.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
She stopped me with a wave of her hand.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
They flaunted painted lips and waved hair and worked as hard as the men.
Len Deighton Bomber
Your brain and brain waves are also affected.
Munro, Bill Dr. & Munro, Frances Beat Stress (1992)
This is a region where both kinds of earthquake waves are slowed down.
Richard Fortey THE EARTH: An Intimate History (2004)
Imperial should be able to capitalise on its sudden wave of interest to command a decent price.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
England stayed on the field to wave to the fans but most had already left.
The Sun (2011)
This produces sound waves in the air that the ear perceives as bass frequencies.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
They were unable to slither and waved from side to side without going anywhere.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
With the help of the wind and the waves the riches of the sea are brought ashore.
Perring, Franklyn A Guide to Britain's Conservation Heritage (1991)
The man waved the bag again and stepped to the right.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Now she is about to make waves in the world of consumer credit.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Overseas services of some other countries can be picked up on medium or short wave.
Collins Traveller - Mallorca
Neither did his farewell waves to the crowd.
The Sun (2009)
He wants more offshore wind farms and wave energy schemes.
The Sun (2012)
He feels safer here, less likely to be taken away by a wave.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Back then, when light was thought to be a kind of wave in space, this was a deeplydisturbing and radical idea.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
In other languages
wave
British English: wave /weɪv/ NOUN
greeting If you give a wave, you move your hand from side to side in the air, usually to say hello or goodbye to someone.
American English: wave
Arabic: مَوْجَة
Brazilian Portuguese: aceno
Chinese: 波浪
Croatian: val
Czech: mávnutí na pozdrav
Danish: vink
Dutch: zwaai watergolf
European Spanish: decir adiós/saludar con la mano
Finnish: aalto
French: signe de la main
German: Geste winken
Greek: κύμα
Italian: gesto
Japanese: 波
Korean: 손 흔들기
Norwegian: bølge
Polish: fala
European Portuguese: aceno
Romanian: semn cu mâna
Russian: волна
Latin American Spanish: gesto de la mano
Swedish: våg hav
Thai: การโบกมือ
Turkish: dalga
Ukrainian: помах
Vietnamese: sóng
British English: wave /weɪv/ VERB
gesture If you wave your hand, you move it from side to side, usually to say hello or goodbye.
She waved her hand dismissively.
Everywhere he went people turned and waved to him, delighted to see him.
American English: wave
Arabic: يُلَوِح
Brazilian Portuguese: acenar
Chinese: 挥手
Croatian: mahati
Czech: mávat
Danish: vinke
Dutch: zwaaien
European Spanish: saludar con la mano
Finnish: heiluttaa kättään
French: saluer geste de la main
German: winken
Greek: γνέφω
Italian: agitare
Japanese: 手を振る
Korean: 손을 흔들다
Norwegian: vinke
Polish: zafalować
European Portuguese: acenar
Romanian: a face cu mâna
Russian: махать
Latin American Spanish: saludar con la mano
Swedish: vinka
Thai: โบกมือ
Turkish: el sallamak
Ukrainian: махати
Vietnamese: vẫy tay
British English: wave /weɪv/ NOUN
of the seaWaves on the surface of the sea are the parts that move up and down.
The waves broke over the rocks.
American English: wave
Arabic: مَوْج
Brazilian Portuguese: onda
Chinese: 波浪
Croatian: val
Czech: vlnamořská
Danish: bølge
Dutch: golf
European Spanish: ola
Finnish: aalto
French: vague
German: Welle
Greek: κύμα
Italian: onda
Japanese: 波
Korean: 파도
Norwegian: bølge
Polish: fala
European Portuguese: onda
Romanian: val
Russian: волна
Latin American Spanish: ola
Swedish: vågor
Thai: คลื่น
Turkish: dalga
Ukrainian: хвиля
Vietnamese: sóng
All related terms of 'wave'
P wave
a longitudinal wave that advances by alternate compression and expansion in a solid or fluid medium , like a sound wave
S wave
wave motion in a solid medium in which the particles of the medium oscillate in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the wave: it cannot be transmitted through a fluid
beta wave
any of the electrical waves from the parietal-frontal regions of the brain , having frequencies from 13 to 30 hertz : a sign of mental activity and alertness
bow wave
wave that forms at the front of a ship
cold wave
a sudden spell of low temperatures over a wide area, often following the passage of a cold front
grey-wave
denoting a company or an investment that is potentially profitable but is unlikely to fulfil expectations before the investor has grey hair
heat wave
unusually hot weather , resulting from a slowly moving air mass of relatively high temperature
lee wave
a stationary wave sometimes formed in an air stream on the leeward side of a hill or mountain range
long wave
Long wave is a range of radio waves which are used for broadcasting .
new wave
In the arts or in politics, a new wave is a group or movement that deliberately introduces new or unconventional ideas instead of using traditional ones.
sine wave
any oscillation , such as a sound wave or alternating current , whose waveform is that of a sine curve
sky wave
a radio wave reflected back to the earth by the ionosphere ( ionospheric wave ), permitting transmission around the curved surface of the earth
slow wave
Physiology See delta wave
wave band
a specific range of radio frequencies
wave base
the depth in a body of water at which the action of surface waves stops stirring the sediments
wave down
If someone waves down a vehicle, they wave their hand as a signal to the driver to stop the vehicle.
wave farm
a collection of machines designed to generate electricity by harnessing the kinetic energy of sea waves
wave moth
any of several small geometrid moths with wavy markings , such as the common wave ( Deilinia exanthemata ), with grey-marked wings, and the lighter common white wave ( D. pusaria )
wave-off
the last-minute signaling to an aircraft making its final landing approach that it is not to land on that particular pass but is to go around and come in again
Alfvén wave
a generally transverse magnetohydrodynamic wave that is propagated in a magnetized plasma
alpha wave
any of the electrical waves from the parietal and occipital regions of the brain , having frequencies from 8 to 13 hertz : a sign of relaxation , since they indicate a lack of sensory stimulation in a conscious person
blast wave
a violent propagating disturbance , produced by an explosion in air, that consists of an abrupt rise in pressure followed by a drop in pressure to or below atmospheric pressure
brain wave
any of the fluctuations of electrical potential in the brain as represented on an electroencephalogram . They vary in frequency from 1 to 30 hertz
crime wave
When more crimes than usual are committed in a particular place, you can refer to this as a crime wave .
delta wave
any of the slowest electrical brain waves, having frequencies less than four hertz and indicating, in adults , deep sleep or brain disease
finger wave
a wave set in wet hair by using fingers and comb only
ground wave
a radio wave that travels directly between a transmitting and a receiving aerial
light wave
the movement of light conceptualized as a wave , defined by such properties as reflection , refraction , and dispersion
marcel wave
a hairstyle characterized by repeated regular waves, popular in the 1920s
medium wave
Medium wave is a range of radio waves which are used for broadcasting .
radio wave
an electromagnetic wave of radio frequency
rogue wave
a sudden huge wave
shock wave
A shock wave is an area of very high pressure moving through the air , earth , or water. It is caused by an explosion or an earthquake , or by an object travelling faster than sound .
short wave
Short-wave is a range of short radio wavelengths used for broadcasting.
sound wave
Sound waves are the waves of energy that we hear as sound.
square wave
an oscillation , for example in voltage pulse , that alternates between two fixed values with a negligible transition time between the two, giving a rectangular waveform
theta wave
any of the electrical brain waves having a frequency between four and eight hertz and associated with a drowsy , semiconscious state of mind
tidal wave
A tidal wave is a very large wave, often caused by an earthquake , that flows onto the land and destroys things.
wave aside
If you wave aside something such as a suggestion , explanation , or idea, you decide that it is not important enough to consider seriously .
wave energy
energy obtained by harnessing wave power
wave front
a surface, at right angles to a propagated disturbance , that passes at any given moment through those parts of the wave motion that are in the same phase and are moving in the same direction
wave number
the reciprocal of the wavelength of a wave
wave power
power extracted from the motion of sea waves at the coast
wave speed
the speed at which the phase of a wave is propagated , the product of the frequency times the wavelength . This is the quantity that is determined by methods using interference . In a dispersive medium it differs from the group speed
wave theory
the theory proposed by Huygens that light is transmitted by waves
wave train
a series of waves travelling in the same direction and spaced at regular intervals
carrier wave
a wave of fixed amplitude and frequency that is modulated in amplitude, frequency, or phase in order to carry a signal in radio transmission , etc
complex wave
a waveform consisting of a fundamental frequency with superimposed harmonics
gravity wave
a surface wave on water or other liquid propagated because of the weight of liquid in the crests
Hertzian wave
an electromagnetic wave with a frequency in the range from about 3 × 10 10 hertz to about 1.5 × 10 5 hertz
Chinese translation of 'wave'
wave
(weɪv)
n(c)
[of hand]挥(揮)动(動) (huīdòng) (下, xià)
(on water) 波浪 (bōlàng) (个(個), gè)
(Rad) 波 (bō)
(in hair) 卷(捲)曲 (juǎnqū)
[of emotion, panic, anger]高涨(漲) (gāozhàng)
[of violence, attacks, strikes]风(風)潮 (fēngcháo)
vi
(= gesture) 挥(揮)手示意 (huīshǒu shìyì)
[branches, grass]摆(擺)动(動) (bǎidòng)
[flag]飘(飄)动(動) (piāodòng)
vt
(= motion with)
[hand]挥(揮) (huī)
[flag, handkerchief]挥(揮)动(動) (huīdòng)
(= brandish)
[weapon, gun, spear]挥(揮)舞 (huīwǔ)
[letter, newspaper, photo]晃动(動) (huàngdòng)
to give sb a wave向某人挥(揮)挥(揮)手 (xiàng mǒurén huīhuī shǒu)
the pain came in waves痛感阵(陣)阵(陣)袭(襲)来(來) (tònggǎn zhènzhèn xílái)
to wave to/at sb对(對)/向某人挥(揮)手 (duì/xiàng mǒurén huīshǒu)
to wave goodbye to sb, wave sb goodbye向某人挥(揮)手告别(別) (xiàng mǒurén huīshǒu gàobié)
he waved me away/over他挥(揮)手让(讓)我离(離)开(開)/过(過)来(來) (tā huīshǒu ràng wǒ líkāi/guòlái)