What does "surge" mean?
Surge: A large wave or billow; a great, rolling swell of water, produced generally by a high wind. He that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. James i. 6 (Rev. Ver.) He flies aloft, and, with impetuous roar, Pursues the foaming surges to the shore. Dryden.
Additional senses
- 2.The motion of, or produced by, a great wave.
- 3.The tapered part of a windlass barrel or a capstan, upon which the cable surges, or slips.
- 4.To swell; to rise hifg and roll. The surging waters like a mountain rise. Spenser.
- 5.(Naut.) To slip along a windlass.
- 6.To let go or slacken suddenly, as a rope; as, to surge a hawser or messenger; also, to slacken the rope about (a capstan).
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00