shock wave
36
4.0
- noun
- /ʃɑk weɪv/
- Specialized
- The news of the earthquake sent shock waves through the city, leaving everyone in panic.
- send shock waves
- generate a shock wave
- shock wave from an explosion
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Watch on YouTubeBuckle up, baby, because another pic late yesterday sent shock waves through both parties.
- Buckle up, baby, because another pic late yesterday sent shock waves through both parties.
- Overall, they find that online hate communities are well described by non linear fluids, including turbulence and shock waves.
- I think that we carry the the shock waves of that our entire lives.
- But every time Bert's letter came out, there was shock waves going through Hawaii.
- Because shock waves are going to come, tragedies are going to come.
- It is a harsh repudiation of the incumbent, Blake Shelton, whose victory last year sent shock waves through the sexy community.
Examples
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The discovery of those momentous documents sent shock waves throughout the world of biblical and historical scholarship.
Academic text (1998) -
See these recent events, they have sent shock waves through both global communities.
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There would be a long time before the shock wave got to them.
Fiction book (1990) -
Word of his death sent shock waves through the international community.
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The shock wave from one of these explosions can snap your spine.
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The enormous volume of corn required by the ethanol industry is sending shock waves through the food system.
Academic text (2007) -
A manhunt for three fugitives is sending shock waves across South Florida.
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Pilas was screaming in the backseat as the shock wave from the explosion crashed over them.
Fiction book (1991) -
MacLow's research focused on the effects of shock waves from supernova explosions on the interstellar medium.
Academic text (1994) -
The company's scandal created shock waves in the industry, affecting many competitors and partners.
Synonyms
470
3.8
A period when something increases suddenly and affects many people, for example very hot weather
22
3.6
A sudden very strong emotion or reaction that affects many people
4
7.2
A moving area of very high pressure in air after an explosion
1
6.3
A wave that travels faster than the speed of sound in air or other materials
1
7.0
A sudden large wave of comments from many people that follows an event
Antonyms
How Strong
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a sudden powerful wave of pressure or energy' is directly compositional from 'shock' (a sudden violent impact) + 'wave' (a propagating disturbance), so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer the MWE. The extended sense of a strong reaction or disturbance is a straightforward metaphorical extension of the physical sense and is also predictable cross-linguistically, supporting a transparent rating.
Etymology
Shock wave is a picture of a sudden, powerful wave that gives a sharp shock through the air or ground after an explosion or a very fast object. That strong, fast push is why we use shock wave for both the real pressure it makes and for a wide 'strong reaction' to surprising news.