Yahoo Web Search

Search results

1. Dictionary

   shock

   /ʃɒk/

   noun

   • 1. a sudden upsetting or surprising event or experience: "it was a shock to face such hostile attitudes" Similar blowupsetdisturbancesource of distresssource of amazement/consternationsurpriserevelationa bolt from the bluea bolt out of the bluethunderboltbombshellrude awakeningeye-openerinformal:whammy
   • ▪ a feeling of disturbed surprise resulting from a sudden upsetting event: "her death gave us all a terrible shock" Similar blowupsetdisturbancesource of distresssource of amazement/consternationsurpriserevelationa bolt from the bluea bolt out of the bluethunderboltbombshellrude awakeningeye-openerinformal:whammyfrightscarejoltstartstate of agitation/perturbationdistressconsternationpanicinformal:turn
   • ▪ a disturbance causing instability in an economy: "trading imbalances caused by the two oil shocks"
   • ▪ short for electric shock
   • 2. an acute medical condition associated with a fall in blood pressure, caused by such events as loss of blood, severe burns, allergic reaction, or sudden emotional stress, and marked by cold, pallid skin, irregular breathing, rapid pulse, and dilated pupils: "he died of shock due to massive abdominal haemorrhage" Similar traumaa state of shocktraumatismprostrationstuporstupefactioncollapsebreakdown
   • 3. a violent shaking movement caused by an impact, explosion, or tremor: "earthquake shocks" Similar vibrationshaking movementreverberationshakejoltjarjarringjerkbumpimpactblowcollisioncrashclash
   • 4. short for shock absorber

   verb

   • 1. cause (someone) to feel surprised and upset: "they were deeply shocked by the incident"
   • ▪ offend the moral feelings of; outrage: "the revelations shocked the nation"
   • ▪ experience outrage: "he shocked so easily"
   • 2. affect with physiological shock.
   • 3. affect with an electric shock.
   • 4. collide violently: archaic "carriage after carriage shocked fiercely against the engine"

   Word Origin mid 16th century: from French choc (noun), choquer (verb), of unknown origin. The original senses were ‘throw (troops) into confusion by charging at them’ and ‘an encounter between charging forces’, giving rise to the notion of ‘sudden violent blow or impact’.

   Scrabble Points: 14

   • S

     1

   • H

     4

   • O

     1

   • C

     3

   • K

     5

   Powered by Oxford Dictionaries

   More definitions, origin and scrabble points