I. shock 1 S2 W2 /ʃɒk $ ʃɑːk/ BrE AmE noun
[ Word Family: adjective : ↑ shocked , ↑ shocking , ↑ shock , ↑ shockproof ; noun : ↑ shock , ↑ shocker , ↑ aftershock ; verb : ↑ shock ; adverb : ↑ shockingly ]
[ Sense 1-5, 7-8: Language: French ; Origin: choc , from choquer 'to strike against' ]
[ Sense 6: Date: 1800-1900 ; Origin: Perhaps from shock 'bunch of cut wheat, corn, etc.' (14-20 centuries) , or from shock 'dog with long rough hair' (17-19 centuries) ]
1 . UNEXPECTED EVENT/SITUATION [countable usually singular] if something that happens is a shock, you did not expect it, and it makes you feel very surprised, and usually upset
shock to
The news of his death came as a great shock to everyone.
it was a shock to find/discover etc that
It was a real shock to hear that the factory would have to close.
2 . UNEXPECTED UNPLEASANT FEELING [singular, uncountable] the feeling of surprise and disbelief you have when something very unexpected happens, especially something bad or frightening:
She was shaking with shock and humiliation.
the shock of (doing) something
Mom’s never really gotten over the shock of Dad’s death.
3 . MEDICAL [uncountable] a medical condition in which someone looks pale and their heart and lungs are not working correctly, usually after a sudden very unpleasant experience:
He was bleeding from the head and suffering from shock.
He is clearly in a state of shock.
The tanker driver was treated for shock and released.
4 . ELECTRICITY [countable] an ↑ electric shock
5 . VEHICLE [countable usually plural] a ↑ shock absorber
6 . shock of hair a very thick mass of hair:
an energetic young man with a shock of red hair
7 . SUDDEN CHANGE [countable] a sudden unexpected change which threatens the economic situation, way of life, or traditions of a group of people – used especially in news reports:
the oil shocks of the 1970s
8 . SHAKING [uncountable and countable] violent shaking caused for example by an explosion or ↑ earthquake :
The shock was felt miles away.
⇨ ↑ shock wave , ↑ culture shock , ↑ shocked , ↑ shell shock , ↑ toxic shock syndrome
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meanings 1 & 2)
■ adjectives
▪ a big/great shock
It was a great shock to find out he had been lying.
▪ a terrible/awful shock
Her death was a terrible shock to everyone.
▪ a complete/total shock
No one expected the factory to close – it was a complete shock.
▪ a nasty shock especially British English (=one that is very unpleasant and upsetting)
Come and sit down. You’ve had a nasty shock.
▪ a rude shock formal (=one that is unexpected and unpleasant but not serious)
Shopping for food in Miyako brought a rude shock. The prices were breathtaking.
■ verbs
▪ get/have a shock
I got a shock when I saw how thin he had become.
▪ give somebody a shock
Oh, you gave me quite a shock.
▪ get over/recover from a shock
He hasn’t got over the shock of losing his job yet.
▪ die of shock informal (=be very surprised)
I nearly died of shock when I saw Helen at the door.
■ phrases
▪ come as a shock (=be very unexpected)
The collapse of the company came as a shock to us all.
▪ be a bit of a shock British English especially spoken (=be a shock, but not very serious or unpleasant)
I wasn’t expecting to win, so it was a bit of a shock.
▪ be a shock to the system (=be strange because you are not used to something)
Having to work full-time again was quite a shock to the system.
▪ be in for a shock (=be likely to have a shock)
Anyone who thinks that bringing up children is easy is in for a shock.
▪ be in a state of shock ( also be in deep shock ) (=be very shocked and upset)
Eva left the room in a state of shock.
▪ get the shock of your life (=get a very big shock)
He got the shock of his life when he found out who I was.
II. shock 2 BrE AmE verb
[ Word Family: adjective : ↑ shocked , ↑ shocking , ↑ shock , ↑ shockproof ; noun : ↑ shock , ↑ shocker , ↑ aftershock ; verb : ↑ shock ; adverb : ↑ shockingly ]
1 . [transitive] to make someone feel very surprised and upset, and unable to believe what has happened:
The hatred in her voice shocked him.
shock somebody to hear/learn/discover etc that
They had been shocked to hear that the hospital was closing down.
It shocked me to think how close we had come to being killed.
shock somebody into (doing) something
She was shocked into action by the desperate situation in the orphanages.
2 . [intransitive and transitive] to make someone feel very offended, by talking or behaving in an immoral or socially unacceptable way:
He seems to enjoy shocking people.
Just ignore the bad language – they only do it to shock.
⇨ ↑ shocked , ↑ shocking
III. shock 3 BrE AmE adjective [only before noun]
[ Word Family: adjective : ↑ shocked , ↑ shocking , ↑ shock , ↑ shockproof ; noun : ↑ shock , ↑ shocker , ↑ aftershock ; verb : ↑ shock ; adverb : ↑ shockingly ]
1 . very surprising – used especially in news reports:
England’s shock defeat by Luxembourg
2 . shock tactics methods of achieving what you want by deliberately shocking people:
Shock tactics are being used to stop drink drivers.