wave
/weɪv/ (bre, ipa) · /weɪv/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈwāv/ (ame, mw)
wave — verb
- wavepresent simple I / you / we / they
- waves3rd person singular
- waving-ing form
- wavedpast simple
1. to greet someone, call for their attention, or say farewell by lifting one hand
to greet someone, call for their attention, or say farewell by lifting one hand and moving it left and right in the air.
Vivek saw his friend at the station and waved to her from across the platform.
intransitive: wave + to + noun (greeting)
The children waved their hands excitedly when the ice-cream truck appeared around the corner.
transitive: wave + object (hands)
Hyun waved goodbye to his grandmother as her train pulled away from the station.
A man on a balcony waved a white flag to show the building was safe.
Dewi waved at the taxi driver until he stopped at the curb.
文法句型
wave + hand/arm (transitive)
wave + at/to + noun (intransitive)
wave + noun + direction adverb (e.g. wave someone over)
用法筆記
With wave of motion to + person when greeting, and wave at + person when trying to attract attention. Wave goodbye is a fixed expression used when someone is leaving. Can also take a direct object (wave your hand/arm/flag).
常見錯誤
2. to gesture with your hand so that a person or vehicle moves closer, goes away, s
to gesture with your hand so that a person or vehicle moves closer, goes away, stops, or changes course.
The security guard waved the visitors through the metal detector one at a time.
wave + object + adverb: wave someone through
Felix waved the waiter over when he was ready to order his dinner.
wave + object + adverb: wave someone over
A police officer waved the cars away from the accident scene on the highway.
Talia's mother waved her into the kitchen to help with the birthday cake.
The parking attendant waved us forward into an empty space near the entrance.
文法句型
wave + noun + adverb/preposition (e.g. wave someone over/in/through/away)
用法筆記
This sense requires a direction word after the object — over, in, through, away, forward, back — to specify where the person should go. Unlike sense 1, the object here is always a person or vehicle, never a hand or object.
常見錯誤
3. to hold something and sway it to and fro, usually to attract notice, display it,
to hold something and sway it to and fro, usually to attract notice, display it, or communicate a message.
Selim waved the newspaper in the air to show everyone the front-page headline.
wave + object + in the air (for showing something)
The excited fans waved colourful flags above their heads throughout the match.
Élise waved the letter in frustration, trying to explain what the bank had written.
Hikers waved bright orange sticks to signal their location to the rescue team.
The chef waved a spoon over the pot and declared the soup ready to serve.
文法句型
wave + noun (object you are holding)
wave + noun + around/about
用法筆記
The direct object is the item being held and moved — a flag, piece of paper, hand, or weapon. Often used with a location phrase (in the air, above their heads, over the pot) to show where or how the object is moved.
常見錯誤
4. (of hair) to bend into loose, gentle curves instead of lying completely straight
(of hair) to bend into loose, gentle curves instead of lying completely straight.
Her hair waves naturally to her shoulders without any help from styling tools.
intransitive: hair + wave + adverb of location/degree
Christopher's hair waves slightly at the ends, giving his face a softer look.
The little girl's hair waved softly around her face as she ran through the garden.
After the rain, Felipe noticed his straight hair had begun to wave at the tips.
Diya's hair waves beautifully whenever she lets it dry without brushing it straight.
- straighten
to make hair lie flat without curves
文法句型
hair + wave(s) (usually used with adverbs or location)
用法筆記
Only used to describe hair. The subject is always hair or a specific head of hair. Often describes a natural hair pattern rather than a styled one. The opposite is straight hair.
常見錯誤
wave — noun
- wavesingular
- wavesplural
1. A raised ridge of water that travels forward across an ocean or lake, rising and
A raised ridge of water that travels forward across an ocean or lake, rising and falling as a result of wind or movement in the water.
Tunde watched the tall waves crash against the rocks near the lighthouse.
collocation: tall waves / waves crash
The children ran back up the sand when a large wave rolled onto the beach.
Surfers waited for the perfect wave before paddling out into the cold water.
Waves can travel across the entire ocean before they reach the shore.
A huge wave knocked the boat sideways, soaking everyone on deck.
文法句型
wave + verb (crash, break, roll)
用法筆記
Often used with verbs describing movement: crash, break, roll, rise, and swell. The height of a wave is typically measured from trough to crest.
常見錯誤
2. A greeting or signal made by holding up an open palm and moving it left and righ
A greeting or signal made by holding up an open palm and moving it left and right several times.
Amihan gave her grandmother a quick wave as the train pulled away from the station.
give + a wave
Christopher returned the wave of his neighbour, who was watering plants in the garden.
return + a wave
A wave from the lifeguard told swimmers it was safe to come ashore.
The mayor acknowledged the crowd with a friendly wave.
Hamza spotted his friend across the busy street and gave her an excited wave.
文法句型
give + a wave
return + a wave
with a wave
用法筆記
A wave is typically made with the palm facing outward and the hand moving side to side, not up and down. The gesture is used for both greeting and farewell in most cultures.
3. A rolling motion through a large crowd when people in each row stand, lift both
A rolling motion through a large crowd when people in each row stand, lift both hands overhead, and sit again in quick succession.
The football crowd started a wave that travelled around the whole stadium.
start + a wave
Lucía raised her arms when the wave reached her section of seats.
The stadium wave is common at baseball games in Japan and South Korea.
To join the wave, stand, lift your arms, then sit when your row's turn comes.
- Mexican wave
the same phenomenon, more common in British English usage
文法句型
do + the wave
start + a wave
用法筆記
Also known as the 'Mexican wave' in British English. This sense is almost always used in the singular and refers to the crowd phenomenon specifically at large spectator events.
4. A repeating pattern of movement that carries energy, such as light, sound, or he
A repeating pattern of movement that carries energy, such as light, sound, or heat, through air, water, or solid material without moving the material itself.
Radio waves carry signals from the broadcasting tower to radios in nearby homes.
radio wave (compound noun)
Light waves travel much faster than sound waves through air.
sound wave / light wave
The physics teacher showed how sound waves bounce off walls to create an echo.
Microwave ovens use short energy waves to heat food from the inside out.
Earthquake waves can travel through the ground and be detected by instruments far away.
- oscillation
a more technical term for a regular back-and-forth movement
- vibration
a rapid back-and-forth motion, especially through a solid or liquid
文法句型
sound + wave
light + wave
radio + wave
用法筆記
In physics, waves are classified as mechanical (sound, water) or electromagnetic (light, radio). The wavelength is the distance between two peaks of a wave.
常見錯誤
5. A sudden large increase in the number of similar events, especially bad ones, oc
A sudden large increase in the number of similar events, especially bad ones, occurring within a short period.
The city struggled to respond to the sudden wave of burglaries that summer.
wave of [bad events]
A wave of flu hit the school, sending dozens of students home with fevers.
The government announced new measures to deal with the growing wave of cyber attacks.
Obi warned that a fresh wave of infections could overwhelm the hospital before the weekend.
Police reported a fresh wave of car thefts across the region last month.
- decline
a gradual decrease in number or amount
文法句型
wave of + noun (crime, violence, protests, attacks)
用法筆記
Unlike sense 7 (a sudden strong feeling), this sense describes an increase in actual events or occurrences, not an internal emotional experience. Typically used with negative events such as crime, violence, disease, or protests.
常見錯誤
6. A series of people or things of the same type that arrive, appear, or happen one
A series of people or things of the same type that arrive, appear, or happen one group after another, often with pauses in between.
The first wave of tourists arrived in March, followed by a second group in April.
first/second wave
A wave of job applications came in after the company posted the opening online.
a wave of + plural noun
The hospital prepared for another wave of patients as the winter storms continued.
Each wave of settlers brought new languages and customs to the island over the centuries.
Donations came in waves, with a big surge first and smaller amounts later.
- succession
a series of people or things coming one after another
- stream
a continuous flow of people or things, without the pause implied by 'wave'
文法句型
a wave of + noun
first/second wave
in waves
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 5 (SURGE): here the emphasis is on the pattern of arrival in successive groups, not on the unusually large number. 'In waves' is a common fixed phrase meaning 'in separate groups over a period of time'.
7. A sudden and powerful emotion, such as fear, anger, excitement, or relief, that
A sudden and powerful emotion, such as fear, anger, excitement, or relief, that rises quickly inside you and affects how you feel or act.
A wave of panic swept through Vinícius when he realised his phone was missing.
wave of + emotion noun (panic, relief, excitement, sadness)
Feeling a wave of relief, Élise closed the exam booklet after finishing the last question.
feeling a wave of + emotion
The news of her promotion sent a wave of excitement through the whole team.
A wave of sadness came over Heather as she looked at the old photographs.
Karim felt a wave of anger rise inside him when he heard the unfair criticism.
文法句型
wave + of + emotion noun
用法筆記
Commonly followed by an emotion noun (panic, relief, excitement, sadness, anger, fear, guilt) connected by of. The verb collocates include sweep through, come over, wash over, feel, and send.
常見錯誤
8. A soft bend or repeated bends along the length of someone's hair, producing a sh
A soft bend or repeated bends along the length of someone's hair, producing a shape that is between straight and tightly curled.
Zuri's hair has a natural wave that she likes to show off.
has a natural wave
The hairdresser used a curling iron to create soft waves in Mira's shoulder-length hair.
create soft waves
Ravindra's new haircut brought out the waves in his thick black hair.
Lan applied a special cream to define the waves in her shoulder-length hair.
Christopher's hair lost its wave after he spent the day out in the rain.
- curl
tighter and more circular; a wave is looser than a curl
- undulation
more technical or literary; uncommon in everyday speech
- straightness
hair with no curves at all
文法句型
have + wave/waves
create + waves
用法筆記
As an uncountable noun (the wave in her hair) it refers to the overall texture. As a countable noun (waves in her hair) it refers to individual visible curves. The opposite texture is straight hair; a tighter version is curls.
9. A period of several days or weeks when the temperature stays much higher or lowe
A period of several days or weeks when the temperature stays much higher or lower than what is normal for that time of year and place.
A heat wave in July made it hard for the construction workers to stay outside.
heat wave + in [month]
The city opened emergency shelters during the cold wave that brought temperatures below zero.
cold wave — opposite of heat wave
Dario's family escaped the heat wave by spending a week at the beach.
Weather experts say this heat wave is the longest on record for this region.
Owen's garden was damaged by a cold wave that arrived late in the spring.
文法句型
heat wave / cold wave
用法筆記
Heat wave is far more common in everyday use than cold wave (which is often replaced by cold snap or freeze). When used alone without hot or cold, wave in the weather sense is ambiguous and usually requires a modifier.