wave

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a movement like that of a sudden occurrence or increase in a specified phenomenon

   a wave of settlers

2. 2
   noun

   something that rises rapidly

   a wave of emotion swept over him

3. 3
   noun

   a persistent and widespread unusual weather condition (especially of unusual temperatures)

   a heat wave

4. 4
   verb

   set waves in

   I asked the hairdresser to wave my hair.

5. 5
   verb

   signal with the hands or nod

   I waved to my friends.

6. 6
   verb

   move or swing back and forth

   They waved their gun.

7. 7
   verb

   To move back and forth repeatedly and somewhat loosely.

   The flag waved in the gentle breeze.

8. 8
   verb

   To move one's hand back and forth (generally above the shoulders) in greeting or departure.

   I raised my arms in a final salute. I smiled. I waved goodbye. I turned into the helicopter, the door was closed, the red carpet was rolled up.

Etymology

From Middle English *wave, partially from waven (“to fluctuate, wave”) (see above) and partially from Middle English wawe, waghe (“wave”), from Old English wǣg (“a wave, billow, motion, water, flood, sea”), from Proto-Germanic *wēgaz (“motion, storm, wave”), from Proto-Indo-European *weǵʰ- (“to drag, carry”). Cognates Cognate with North Frisian waag (“wave”), West Frisian weach (“wave”), Dutch waag (“wave”), German Woge, Wooge (“wave”), Danish vove, våg (“wave”), Faroese vágur (“bay”), Icelandic vogur (“bay”), Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Swedish våg (“wave”), Gothic 𐍅𐌴𐌲𐍃 (wēgs, “wa…