I. ˈsərf, ˈsə̄f, ˈsəif noun
( -s )
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: origin unknown
1.
a. : the swell of the sea that breaks upon the shore (as upon a sloping beach)
b. : the breaking waves or their foam, splash, and sound
2. : something that looks like, sounds like, or otherwise is held to resemble surf
a surf of dust rising back of the carriage — Gilbert Parker
a constant surf of yells … from hundreds of cell windows — Jan Valtin
II. intransitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
1.
a. : to bathe in the surf
b. : to ride the surf (as on a surfboard)
2. : to swell, break, or otherwise behave in a manner suggesting surf
the lace frill of her dress surfed white in the sun — William Sansom
tides of … commerce caught up and surfed over me — Christopher Morley
III. intransitive verb
: to scan a wide range of offerings for something of interest
transitive verb
: to scan the offerings of (as television or the Internet) for something that is interesting or fills a need
• surfer noun