waves
waves — verb
- wavespresent simple I / you / we / they
- waveses3rd person singular
- wavesing-ing form
- wavesedpast simple
1. to hold up your hand or something you are carrying and move it back and forth, e
to hold up your hand or something you are carrying and move it back and forth, especially as a greeting, a goodbye, or a way to attract someone's notice
Brian waved to his friend across the busy street to say hello.
wave + to + someone (greeting)
The little girl waved goodbye to her grandmother at the train station.
wave goodbye to + someone
Naoko waved her hand to get the teacher's attention before the bell rang.
wave + possessive + hand (transitive)
When Lucía saw her brother at the airport, she waved excitedly.
The crowd waved flags as the runners passed the finish line.
wave + object (flag/banner/scarf)
- wave at someone
- wave to someone
- wave goodbye
- wave hello
- wave a flag
- wave a hand
Grammar Patterns
wave + at/to + someone
wave + goodbye/farewell/hello
wave + something (a hand/flag/scarf)
Usage Note
When used without an object, the direction of the greeting is shown by a preposition — usually to or at. Wave to suggests a friendly greeting; wave at can also mean trying to get someone's attention.
Common Mistakes
2. to move your hand in a way that shows another person where to go or what to do,
to move your hand in a way that shows another person where to go or what to do, for example to stop, come closer, or move through a space
The security guard waved us toward the parking lot on the left.
wave + someone + direction adverb
Reema waved the taxi over and climbed into the back seat.
wave + vehicle + over
Beatriz waved her children inside when the rain started to fall.
wave + someone + inside/outside/over
A police officer waved the cars through the busy intersection.
wave + vehicles + through (permission to pass)
- wave someone over
- wave someone through
- wave someone inside
- wave someone away
- wave a taxi
Grammar Patterns
wave + someone + adverb/preposition (over/past/through/inside)
wave + someone + to-infinitive
Usage Note
Frequently used with a direction word (over, past, through, inside, away) or a to-infinitive (the guard waved us to stop). The hand motion takes the place of a spoken instruction.
Common Mistakes
3. to swing gently from one side to the other, or to cause an object to move in thi
to swing gently from one side to the other, or to cause an object to move in this way, especially when it is held or pushed by the wind
The tall grass waved gently in the summer breeze all afternoon.
intransitive: subject + wave + in the breeze/wind
Soraya waved a bright scarf above her head so her friends could spot her.
transitive: wave + object + above/around
The flag on the roof waved in the wind all afternoon.
Farmers waved burning torches above the crops to scare the birds away.
The willow branches waved above the surface of the lake.
intransitive: natural object + wave
- wave in the wind
- wave in the breeze
- wave a flag
- wave a scarf
- wave branches
Grammar Patterns
wave + in the wind/breeze
wave + object + around/above
Usage Note
When used intransitively, the subject is usually something light or thin that is moved by air or water — flags, grass, hair, tree branches, curtains. When used transitively, the person typically holds the object and moves it deliberately.
4. used to describe hair that forms soft curves or bends instead of hanging complet
used to describe hair that forms soft curves or bends instead of hanging completely straight
Dahlia's hair waves naturally, so she never needs curling irons.
possessor's hair + waves (naturally)
The hairdresser used a special brush to wave Linh's hair for the wedding.
Tamás prefers hair that waves softly rather than tight curls or ringlets.
hair + waves + adverb (softly/loosely)
My hair used to be straight, but now it waves when the weather is humid.
- hair waves
- wave naturally
- wave softly
- loose waves
- lie straight
hair that hangs without curves or bends
Grammar Patterns
hair + waves
Usage Note
This sense is most often used intransitively with hair as the subject. The transitive use (e.g., 'the stylist waved her hair') describes deliberately shaping hair into waves, which is less common in everyday conversation.
Common Mistakes
waves — noun
- wavessingular
- wavesesplural
1. When wind blows across water, the surface rises into moving ridges that travel a
When wind blows across water, the surface rises into moving ridges that travel across the sea, a lake, or a river.
Large waves crashed against the harbour wall during the storm.
crashed against + wall (collocation for strong waves)
The children watched the gentle waves wash over their feet on the beach.
A huge wave swept two fishermen off the rocks near the lighthouse.
huge wave + swept (dramatic action pattern)
When the ferry passed by, its wake sent small waves lapping against the riverbank.
Surfers waited patiently for the perfect wave to ride towards the shore.
wave + ride (surfing collocation)
- huge wave
- gentle wave
- wave crashes
- wave rolls
- ride a wave
Grammar Patterns
wave + verb (crash, roll, wash)
Usage Note
Frequently used with verbs that describe movement: crash, roll, lap, wash, sweep. Subject is often natural forces (storm, wind, tide) or human activity (boat, surfer).
Common Mistakes
2. A gesture in which you lift your hand and move it left and right, often as a gre
A gesture in which you lift your hand and move it left and right, often as a greeting, farewell, or to get someone's attention.
Camille gave a quick wave before stepping onto the train.
give + a wave (common verb collocation)
Reuben saw his sister's wave through the classroom window.
A friendly wave from the lifeguard told the swimmers it was safe to go in.
friendly wave (adjective + wave pattern)
Haruto acknowledged the compliment with a small wave and a smile.
The president returned the crowd's wave with a broad smile from the balcony.
return + wave / crowd's wave (possession pattern)
- give a wave
- return a wave
- a quick wave
- a friendly wave
- wave goodbye
Grammar Patterns
give + a wave
wave + to/at + person
Usage Note
Commonly used with give (give a wave) or with a possessive noun (Anna's wave, his wave). The preposition to indicates the recipient: give a wave to someone.
Common Mistakes
3. A crowd phenomenon at a sports stadium where spectators stand, raise their arms,
A crowd phenomenon at a sports stadium where spectators stand, raise their arms, and sit down one after another, creating a rolling effect across the stands.
The wave started in the far corner of the stadium and spread around the entire arena.
the wave + verb of movement (start, spread, circle)
When the home team scored, twenty thousand fans broke into a wave that circled the stands twice.
Rachid had never seen a wave at a baseball game before he visited Taiwan.
The announcer encouraged everyone to join in the wave to keep the crowd excited during the break.
join in the wave (participation collocation)
- the wave
- do the wave
- join in the wave
- a wave spreads
- a wave circles
- Mexican wave
alternative term more common in British English
- crowd wave
a descriptive term emphasising the people involved
Grammar Patterns
the wave + verb (spread, circle, travel)
Usage Note
This sense is almost always used in the singular (the wave) and refers specifically to a sports-stadium phenomenon. In British English it is sometimes called a Mexican wave.
4. The repeating pattern by which forms of energy like sound, light, heat, or radio
The repeating pattern by which forms of energy like sound, light, heat, or radio signals move through air, water, or empty space.
Sound waves travel through air and let us hear music from a loudspeaker.
sound wave + travel through (propagation pattern)
Radio waves carry signals from the broadcast tower to car radios in the area.
radio waves + carry signals (function collocation)
In physics class, Evelyn learned how light waves bend when they pass through water.
An earthquake produces shock waves that can be felt many kilometres away.
shock wave + produce (causative pattern)
The scientist measured the wavelength of the infrared signal coming from the satellite.
- sound wave
- light wave
- radio wave
- shock wave
- wave travels
- wave carries
- oscillation
a more technical term for regular back-and-forth movement
- vibration
a rapid back-and-forth movement, often of a solid object
Grammar Patterns
wave + noun (light, sound, radio)
type of + wave
Usage Note
In this sense wave can be used in compound nouns to name the type of energy: sound wave, light wave, radio wave, shock wave. The plural is common when referring to the general phenomenon (sound waves travel, light waves bend).
Common Mistakes
5. A sudden increase in the number of similar events or feelings happening within a
A sudden increase in the number of similar events or feelings happening within a short period of time.
The city experienced a wave of burglaries last summer, with more than fifty homes broken into.
a wave of + noun (surge of events)
A wave of panic swept through the crowd when the fire alarm went off.
a wave of panic + swept through (emotional surge)
The company faced a wave of customer complaints after the new software update failed.
A wave of relief washed over Anna when she heard the test results were good.
Japan saw a wave of new coffee shops opening across Tokyo during the past few years.
see + a wave of (perception verb pattern)
- a wave of crime
- a wave of protests
- a wave of relief
- a wave of panic
- a wave of complaints
Grammar Patterns
a wave of + noun (crime, panic, relief, protests, complaints)
Usage Note
Frequently followed by of + a plural noun describing the events or feelings. The noun after of is typically something undesirable (crime, protests, complaints) or an emotion (panic, relief, anger). Verbs commonly used: experience, face, see, sweep through, wash over.
6. One of a series of events, people, or things that arrive or happen one after ano
One of a series of events, people, or things that arrive or happen one after another with breaks in between.
The first wave of immigrants arrived in the 1850s, followed by a second wave twenty years later.
first/second wave + of + noun (sequential pattern)
Successive waves of protests swept through the capital over the course of three months.
successive waves of (recurrence pattern)
Each wave of aid workers brought food and medicine to the earthquake victims.
The company hired new staff in waves to manage the training workload effectively.
in waves (adverbial pattern)
A new wave of students enrolled at the university every September.
a new wave of (fresh group pattern)
- first wave
- second wave
- new wave
- successive waves
- in waves
- influx
a large number of people or things arriving at the same time
- succession
a series of things following one after another
Grammar Patterns
first/second/next wave + of + noun
in waves
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 5 (SUDDEN SURGE): this sense emphasises a sequence of separate groups arriving or happening with pauses between them, while sense 5 describes a concentrated burst of events within one continuous period. Ordinal adjectives (first, second, next, latest) are typical with this sense.
Common Mistakes
7. a rush of emotion that starts suddenly and becomes more powerful as it moves thr
a rush of emotion that starts suddenly and becomes more powerful as it moves through you — such as a feeling of anger rising in your chest or a burst of pride at a special achievement.
A wave of anger swept through Kwame when he saw the unfair decision.
wave of + emotion noun (anger, pride, sadness, etc.)
As the graduation ceremony began, a wave of pride filled the room.
Omar felt a wave of sadness wash over him when he saw the old photograph.
The crowd was hit by a wave of excitement as the singer walked on stage.
collocation: be hit by / swept by a wave of + emotion
Ananya took a deep breath to control the wave of panic rising in her chest.
- a wave of anger / pride / sadness / panic / excitement
- a wave swept through / washed over / filled
- feel / experience / control a wave of
- calm
a state of emotional peace or stillness, the opposite of a sudden surge
Grammar Patterns
a wave of + noun (emotion)
Usage Note
Typically followed by 'of' and an emotion noun (anger, pride, sadness, panic, excitement). Common verbs used with this sense include 'sweep through', 'wash over', 'fill', and 'rise'.
Common Mistakes
8. gentle curved sections within someone's hair that can appear naturally or be mad
gentle curved sections within someone's hair that can appear naturally or be made with styling tools such as a curling iron or rollers.
Mei-Ling styled her hair into soft waves for the wedding.
style/create waves in hair
The hairdresser used a curling iron to create loose waves in Clara's hair.
Arjun's hair has natural waves that he usually keeps short.
natural waves — describing hair's inherent texture
After swimming in the sea, Yuna's waves turned into messy curls.
Ben used a special shampoo that helps define his hair waves in humid weather.
- soft / loose / natural waves
- create / style / define waves
- waves in someone's hair
- curl
a tighter, more circular shape than a wave; waves are looser and gentler
- undulation
a formal or technical term for a wavy, rising-and-falling shape
- straightness
hair that lies flat without any curves or bends
Grammar Patterns
plural: waves in/into + noun (hair)
Usage Note
Almost always used in the plural form when describing a person's hair. 'Wave' in the singular is used to refer to one single curve within a hairstyle ('She has a natural wave at the front').
Common Mistakes
9. a period of several days or weeks during which the temperature stays at an unusu
a period of several days or weeks during which the temperature stays at an unusually high or low level compared to what is normal for that time of year.
A heat wave hit southern Europe last July, with temperatures above 40 degrees.
heat wave — fixed collocation for unusually hot weather
The cold wave caused power outages across the northern states.
cold wave — fixed collocation for unusually cold weather
Farmers worried about their crops during the unusual heat wave that summer.
Elena and her family bought extra blankets before the cold wave arrived.
The city opened cooling centres to help residents survive the heat wave.
survive / cope with a heat wave
- heat wave
- cold wave
- a heat wave hits / arrives / strikes
- survive / cope with / endure a heat wave
Grammar Patterns
adjective + wave (heat wave / cold wave)
Usage Note
Almost always appears in the fixed collocations 'heat wave' or 'cold wave'. 'Heat wave' is more common in everyday speech; 'cold wave' is slightly more formal or journalistic. Do not write 'hot wave' — the standard form is 'heat wave'.
Common Mistakes
10. a curving line or shape that goes up and down or rises and falls in a repeating,
a curving line or shape that goes up and down or rises and falls in a repeating, flowing pattern, often used to describe designs on objects, natural landforms, or patterns in art and decoration.
The artist painted bold waves of colour across the canvas.
waves of + noun describing visual patterns
The metal roof was shaped into gentle waves for a modern look.
Diego traced the waves of the mountain range on the map with his finger.
The necklace had a pattern of gold waves running along its full length.
pattern of waves — decorative designs
The living room curtains were made of fabric with blue and white waves.
- waves of colour / light
- gold / blue / silver waves
- a pattern of waves
- gentle / flowing waves
- curve
a single bend; less specific than a wave, which suggests a repeating up-and-down pattern
- undulation
a formal or technical term for a smooth, wavy, rising-and-falling motion or shape
- ripple
a smaller, more delicate wave-like pattern, often on a surface
- straight line
a line with no curves or bends
Grammar Patterns
waves of + noun (colour, light, pattern)
Usage Note
Used in plural to describe a repeating visual pattern, as in 'waves of colour', 'gold waves', 'blue and white waves'. Unlike sense 7 (emotion), this sense always refers to a visible, physical shape or pattern. Often overlaps with 'wavy' (adjective) — but 'waves' is the noun that names the shapes themselves.
Common Mistakes
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
All four words describe water in motion, but differ in scale, shape, and intensity. A 'wave' is the general term: a raised ridge of water that moves across a surface, from a small lake ripple to a giant ocean breaker. A 'surge' suggests a powerful forward rush of water that rises and pushes ahead, often as a single forceful movement rather than a series of ridges — for example, a surge of seawater flooding onto a beach during a storm. A 'ripple' is the smallest of the group: a tiny, gentle wave on an otherwise calm surface, usually caused by a light wind or a small object dropping into the water. A 'swell' describes long, unbroken waves that have travelled a great distance from a storm; swells are smooth and steady, rising and falling without breaking until they reach shallow water. In everyday usage: 'The waves crashed against the rocks' (general), 'The surge knocked her off her feet' (powerful single rush), 'Ripples spread across the pond' (tiny surface movement), 'A heavy swell made the boat rise and fall gently' (long rolling motion).
Common collocations
Etymology
The English word 'wave' comes from two different Old English roots that later merged. The verb sense — moving the hand back and forth — comes from Old English 'wafian', meaning 'to wave the hands'. The noun sense — a moving ridge of water — comes from Old English 'wæg', meaning 'moving water'. These two strands came together in Middle English (around the 1200s) as 'waven'. By the 1500s, 'wave' was already being used figuratively for 'a wave of emotion or events'. The physics meaning — describing how sound, light, and radio signals travel — grew out of 17th- and 18th-century science, when scientists realised that different forms of energy move through space in the same wavelike pattern as water.
First known use
14th century
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2 Noun (1)