waveverb [ I or T ]
uk/weɪv/us/weɪv/wave verb [ I or T ] (MOVE HAND)
B1 to raise your hand and move it from side to side as a way of greeting someone, telling someone to do something, or adding emphasis to an expression:
to make a movement with your hand that tells someone to move in a particular direction:
More examples
- He would always turn and wave at the end of the street.
- They waved at us as we drove by.
- Mary waved at the man but he didn't seem to notice.
- She suddenly espied someone waving at her from the window.
- I wished her a safe journey and waved her off.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Welcoming, greeting & greetings
- afternoon
- air kiss
- air kiss
- aloha
- bon voyage
- bye
- ciao
- good afternoon
- good evening
- goodbye
- greeting
- happy
- pump sb's hand idiom
- receive
- salaam
- see/catch you later! idiom
- shake
- so long idiom
- stranger
- wotcha
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wave verb [ I or T ] (MOVE REPEATEDLY)
C1 to move from side to side, or to make something move like this while holding it in the hand:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Shaking, swinging and vibrating
- agitate
- brandish
- churn
- flourish
- fluff sth up
- jitter
- joggle
- resonate
- reverberate
- rocky
- shake
- stir
- stir sth up
- swing
- teeter
- throb
- totter
- tremble
- tremulous
- wag
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wave verb [ I or T ] (CURL HAIR)
If hair waves, it curls slightly:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Hairdressing
- barber
- barber's pole
- bewigged
- coiffeur
- cornrow
- curl
- gel
- hair salon
- hairdresser
- hairstylist
- henna
- highlight
- loose
- perm
- peroxide
- plait
- razor
- stylist
- tong
- wear
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Idiom(s)
Phrasal verb(s)
wavenoun [ C ]
uk/weɪv/us/weɪv/wave noun [ C ] (WATER)
B1 a raised line of water that moves across the surface of an area of water, especially the sea:
More examples
- A large wave swept away half the sandcastle.
- The boat was swamped by an enormous wave.
- Wind and wave power are now being seriously canvassed as the solution to our energy problems.
- A huge wave capsized the yacht.
- The murmur of the waves on the beach lulled me to sleep.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Waves
- bore
- break
- breaker
- choppy
- crest
- dumper
- heavy
- lap
- overfall
- ripple
- roller
- spume
- standing wave
- surf
- swell
- tidal wave
- tsunami
- wake
- whitecaps
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wave noun [ C ] (HAND MOVEMENT)
C2 the action of raising your hand and moving it from side to side as a way of greeting someone, etc.:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Welcoming, greeting & greetings
- afternoon
- air kiss
- air kiss
- aloha
- bon voyage
- bye
- ciao
- good afternoon
- good evening
- goodbye
- greeting
- happy
- pump sb's hand idiom
- receive
- salaam
- see/catch you later! idiom
- shake
- so long idiom
- stranger
- wotcha
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wave noun [ C ] (BY A CROWD)
US UK Mexican wave a wave-like movement made by a crowd watching a sports game, when everyone stands and lifts up their arms and then sits down again one after another:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Spectators & commentators at sports events
- cheerleader
- commentator
- gate
- groundhopper
- groundhopping
- Mexican wave
- pitch invasion
- press box
- scout
- spectate
- spectator
- spectator sport
- supporter
wave noun [ C ] (ENERGY)
B2 the pattern in which some types of energy, such as sound, light, and heat, are spread or carried:
More examples
- The microphone converts acoustic waves to electrical signals for transmission.
- The unit emits an electromagnetic wave.
- Radio Seven transmits on 201 medium wave.
- Waves of light and sound are transmitted in every direction.
- These sound waves travel at over 1000 feet per second.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Physics: the state of matter
- absorbency
- acid
- acidic
- filtrate
- granulated
- gritty
- heavy water
- limy
- molten
- neutral
- non-flammable
- permeability
- plasma
- powder
- powdered
- pressurized
- runny
- slurry
- sulphur
- thin
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wave noun [ C ] (LARGE NUMBER)
C2 a larger than usual number of events of a similar, often bad, type, happening within the same period:
an activity that is happening again or is being repeated after a pause:
More examples
- The Met Office says that the heat wave will continue for most of the week.
- The vineyard is representative of the new wave of wine producers.
- Wave on wave of refugees has crossed the border to escape the fighting.
- This recent wave of terrorism has ruled out any chance of peace talks.
- A wave of strikes swept the country.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Order and sequence - general words
- alphabetize
- back end
- back end
- be a chapter of accidents idiom
- catalogue
- litany
- merry-go-round
- next
- nth
- penultimate
- run
- running
- second 1
- sequential
- series
- succession
- thirdly
- timeline
- train
- vice versa
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wave noun [ C ] (STRONG FEELING)
C2 A wave of an emotion or feeling is a sudden strong feeling that gets stronger as it spreads:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Strong feelings
- agony
- all-consuming
- anguish
- ardent
- be beside yourself idiom
- be convulsed with laughter, rage, etc. idiom
- beside
- explosive
- fiery
- hormonal
- hot-blooded
- impassioned
- ineffable
- inexpressible
- profound
- siren call
- supercharged
- unquenchable
- vehement
- vehemently
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wave noun [ C ] (HAIR CURVES)
a series of slight curves in a person's hair:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Hair
- -haired
- a full, good, thick, etc. head of hair idiom
- bald patch
- balding
- beard
- crinkle
- curl
- curly
- hairpiece
- hairy
- hirsute
- plica
- pube
- receding hairline
- rug
- tache
- toupée
- tresses
- unshaven
- wisp
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