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surge

Syllabification: (surge)
Pronunciation: /sərj/

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Definition of surge

noun

  • a sudden powerful forward or upward movement, especially by a crowd or by a natural force such as the waves or tide:flooding caused by tidal surges
  • a sudden large increase, typically a brief one that happens during an otherwise stable or quiescent period:the firm predicted a 20% surge in sales
  • a major deployment of military forces to reinforce those already in a particular area.
  • a powerful rush of an emotion or feeling:Sophie felt a surge of anger
  • a sudden marked increase in voltage or current in an electric circuit.

verb

[no object]
  • (of a crowd or a natural force) move suddenly and powerfully forward or upward:the journalists surged forward
  • increase suddenly and powerfully, typically during an otherwise stable or quiescent period:shares surged to a record high
  • (of an emotion or feeling) affect someone powerfully and suddenly:indignation surged up within her
  • (of an electric voltage or current) increase suddenly.
  • Nautical (of a rope, chain, or windlass) slip back with a jerk.

Origin:

late 15th century (in the sense 'fountain, stream'): the noun (in early use) from Old French sourgeon; the verb partly from the Old French stem sourge-, based on Latin surgere 'to rise'. Early senses of the verb included 'rise and fall on the waves' and 'swell with great force'

surge in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of surge in the British & World English dictionary

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