shock
/ʃɒk/ (bre, ipa) · /ʃɑːk/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈshäk/ (ame, mw)
shock — noun
1. a sudden, unexpected event or piece of news that causes a strong emotional react
a sudden, unexpected event or piece of news that causes a strong emotional reaction, especially an unpleasant one
The news of the factory closing came as a complete shock to everyone in the town.
come as a shock — unexpected news pattern
Tuan was in shock for days after receiving the unexpected bill.
in shock — state of emotional disturbance
It was a real shock to discover that the old bridge was no longer safe to use.
The sudden death of the village doctor sent shock waves through the community.
Adina got the shock of her life when she saw the winning lottery numbers.
- expectation
the opposite of an unexpected event
文法句型
a shock
shock of [event]
用法筆記
Commonly used with verbs like 'come as', 'get', 'receive', and 'give'. The phrase 'in shock' describes a continuing state of emotional numbness, not the initial moment of surprise.
常見錯誤
2. the difficult or jarring feeling that comes with adapting to a new or unfamiliar
the difficult or jarring feeling that comes with adapting to a new or unfamiliar situation, especially when the change is hard to get used to
Returning to work after the long holiday was a real shock to the system.
a shock to the system — idiomatic pattern
Moving from a tropical country to northern Canada was a huge cultural shock for Eliska.
cultural shock — domain-specific collocation
The first winter in the mountains was a shock to their bodies after years of city living.
Going from high school to university can be a shock for many young people.
- adjustment difficulty
more formal and descriptive
- jolt
emphasises the suddenness of the change
文法句型
a shock to the system
a shock to [noun]
用法筆記
The phrase 'a shock to the system' is the most common form of this sense and emphasises the physical or mental difficulty of adaptation. 'Culture shock' is a fixed compound noun for the disorientation felt when experiencing an unfamiliar culture.
3. the painful jolt or dangerous sensation that happens when electricity runs throu
the painful jolt or dangerous sensation that happens when electricity runs through a person's or animal's body, causing muscle tightening, burns, and potentially severe harm
João got a nasty electric shock when he touched the bare wire with wet hands.
get a shock / electric shock — standard collocations
Ravi received a mild shock every time he touched the metal filing cabinet.
received a shock — alternate verb pattern with 'receive'
A mild shock from a static carpet is harmless, but a shock from a power line can kill.
Nellie felt a sharp shock run up her arm when she touched the broken lamp.
- electric shock
the full, more precise form
- jolt
informal; emphasises the sudden feeling
文法句型
get a shock
an electric shock
用法筆記
When talking about receiving electricity, 'get a shock' or 'receive an electric shock' are the standard forms. 'Electrocute' means to kill by electric shock, not just to receive one.
常見錯誤
4. a life-threatening physical state in which too little blood circulates through t
a life-threatening physical state in which too little blood circulates through the body, typically brought on by severe injury, heavy blood loss, burns, or intense fear
The ambulance crew treated the accident victim for shock before moving her.
treated for shock — medical context
Without immediate treatment, a patient in shock can suffer organ damage or die.
in shock / go into shock — medical state pattern
The soldier went into shock after losing a large amount of blood from his leg wound.
Paramedics lifted the victim's legs to help maintain blood flow during shock treatment.
Rachid was rushed to hospital in a state of shock after the car crash.
文法句型
in shock
suffer from shock
go into shock
用法筆記
Do not confuse this medical sense (uncountable, clinical) with sense 1 'in shock' (temporary emotional numbness). Medical shock is a life-threatening physical condition requiring urgent treatment.
常見錯誤
5. a strong, sudden physical force caused when one object hits another, or the viol
a strong, sudden physical force caused when one object hits another, or the violent shaking that follows an explosion or earthquake
The shock of the bomb blast shattered windows three blocks away.
shock of [explosion] — physical force pattern
Modern buildings are designed to absorb the shock of an earthquake without collapsing.
absorb the shock — engineering collocation
The runner felt the shock of each step travel up through her knees and hips.
The two cars collided with a shock that could be heard from half a kilometre away.
- impact
focuses on the moment of contact rather than the vibration
- jolt
a shorter, sharper physical shock
- concussion
medical term for shock to the brain
文法句型
the shock of [physical event]
shock from [explosion/collision]
用法筆記
Physical shock can be measured and described scientifically (shock wave, shock absorber). The verb 'to cushion' or 'to absorb' are common with this sense.
6. a strong feeling of disapproval and offence caused by behaviour or language that
a strong feeling of disapproval and offence caused by behaviour or language that someone considers morally wrong or socially unacceptable
The newspaper headline caused widespread shock among conservative readers.
widespread shock — collective moral reaction
To the shock of the audience, the comedian told jokes that mocked religious figures.
to the shock of [group] — formal reporting structure
Her parents expressed shock at the language used in the film she had watched.
The senator's remarks provoked shock from both sides of the political debate.
- approval
the opposite of moral offence
文法句型
shock at [behaviour]
shock that [clause]
用法筆記
This sense is often used in formal or journalistic contexts. It frequently appears with 'express', 'provoke', 'cause', or 'widespread'. In informal conversation, 'offence' or 'disgust' are more common.
7. a thick, bushy patch of hair that stands out clearly, usually on a person's head
a thick, bushy patch of hair that stands out clearly, usually on a person's head, often looking wild or tousled
The artist was known for his wild shock of white hair that stuck out in every direction.
shock of [colour] hair — descriptive pattern
A little girl with a shock of bright red hair ran across the playground.
Selim pushed his thick shock of black hair out of his eyes before speaking.
The old photograph showed a young soldier with a neat uniform and a shock of curly hair.
文法句型
a shock of [colour/type] hair
用法筆記
This sense is almost always used in the singular, followed by 'of' and a description of the hair. It is a literary or descriptive usage rather than everyday speech.
shock — verb
1. to cause a feeling of strong and often unpleasant surprise in someone through an
to cause a feeling of strong and often unpleasant surprise in someone through an unexpected event or piece of news
Kasia was shocked to learn that her favourite café had closed down overnight.
be shocked to [verb] — reaction to news pattern
The sudden drop in temperature shocked everyone who had come to the beach for the weekend.
It shocked Yuna to hear how much the rent had increased since last year.
The team was shocked by the coach's decision to quit just before the final match.
Nobody was shocked when the unpopular restaurant finally closed its doors.
- expect
to anticipate something eliminates surprise
文法句型
shock someone
be shocked to [infinitive]
be shocked by [news]
用法筆記
This sense is milder than sense 2 (OFFEND MORALLY) — it does not imply moral judgment, only strong surprise. Often followed by 'to + infinitive' or 'to hear/find/discover/learn'.
常見錯誤
2. to strongly upset or offend someone through words or actions that violate what t
to strongly upset or offend someone through words or actions that violate what they consider right, decent, or socially acceptable
Many viewers were shocked by the violent scenes in the documentary.
be shocked by [stimulus] — passive pattern
It shocked the neighbours to discover that the old man had been living without electricity for years.
It shocks [person] to [verb] — impersonal construction
The politician's comments about the poor shocked many people across the country.
Selim was shocked that anyone would treat an animal with such cruelty.
Nothing shocks Tuan anymore after fifty years of working as a criminal lawyer.
- outrage
stronger; implies anger as well as offence
- scandalise
British; more formal and often relates to social norms
- horrify
stronger; suggests fear as well as disgust
- please
the opposite of causing offence
文法句型
be shocked at/by [behaviour]
shock someone that [clause]
用法筆記
Frequently used in the passive voice ('be shocked at/by'). The subject of the emotion is the person who finds something wrong, not the person who did the action. 'It shocks me that...' is a common impersonal construction.
常見錯誤
shock — adjective
1. describing hair that is very thick, wild, and stands out noticeably, often in a
describing hair that is very thick, wild, and stands out noticeably, often in a way that seems untidy or striking
The old gardener had a shock head of grey hair that poked out from under his straw hat.
shock head — attributive use with 'head'
His shock white hair made him easy to spot in a crowded room.
The portrait showed a young woman with shock dark curls tumbling over her shoulders.
The toddler had shock black hair that stuck up messily after every afternoon nap.
文法句型
shock + noun (usually hair)
用法筆記
This adjective is almost exclusively used before a noun describing hair ('shock hair', 'shock head', 'shock mane'). It is somewhat literary and not common in everyday speech.