wave
one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)
How often you will meet it
Rank 2,221 of 81,628 words measured. It occurs 29,866 times across 191,625 published chapters — 0.004% of every word in the library.
What it means
noun
- one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water) also: moving ridge
- a movement like that of a sudden occurrence or increase in a specified phenomenon a wave of settlerstroops advancing in waves
- (physics) a movement up and down or back and forth also: undulation
- something that rises rapidly a wave of emotion swept over himthere was a sudden wave of buying before the market closed
- the act of signaling by a movement of the hand also: waving, wafture
- a hairdo that creates undulations in the hair
wave in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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The wave of private conversation flowed around the table.
Fromont and Risler — Complete · Alphonse Daudet · Chapter 1
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Then a wave of impassioned self-pity swept her like flame.
A Spinner in the Sun · Myrtle Reed · Chapter 1
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The cold wave set them tight; their legs were planted like posts, and I had to cut them out.
The Rim of the Desert · Ada Woodruff Anderson · Chapter 1
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Along its front no sabres shine, No blood-red pennons wave; Its banner bears the single line, "Our duty is to save."
The Poetical Works of Oliver Wendell Holmes — Volume 03 · Oliver Wendell Holmes · Chapter 1
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The students who pass her grin cheerfully and tug at their caps; several, from a distance, wave a hand at her.
A Hoosier Chronicle · Meredith Nicholson · Chapter 1