I. ˈwāv verb
( waved ; wav·ing )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English wafian to wave with the hands; akin to Old English wæfan to clothe and perhaps to Old English wefan to weave
Date: before 12th century
intransitive verb
1. : to motion with the hands or with something held in them in signal or salute
2. : to float, play, or shake in an air current : move loosely to and fro : flutter
flags waving in the breeze
3. of water : to move in waves : heave
4. : to become moved or brandished to and fro
signs waved in the crowd
5. : to move before the wind with a wavelike motion
field of waving grain
6. : to follow a curving line or take a wavy form : undulate
transitive verb
1. : to swing (something) back and forth or up and down
2. : to impart a curving or undulating shape to
waved her hair
3.
a. : to motion to (someone) to go in an indicated direction or to stop : flag , signal
checked his name and waved him on
waved down a passing car
b. : to gesture with (the hand or an object) in greeting or farewell or in homage
c. : to dismiss or put out of mind : disregard — usually used with aside or off
d. : to convey by waving
waved farewell
4. : brandish , flourish
waved a pistol menacingly
Synonyms: see swing
II. noun
Date: 1526
1.
a. : a moving ridge or swell on the surface of a liquid (as of the sea)
b. : open water
2.
a. : a shape or outline having successive curves
b. : a waviness of the hair
c. : an undulating line or streak or a pattern formed by such lines
3. : something that swells and dies away: as
a. : a surge of sensation or emotion
a wave of anger swept over her
b. : a movement sweeping large numbers in a common direction
wave s of protest
c. : a peak or climax of activity
a wave of buying
4. : a sweep of hand or arm or of some object held in the hand used as a signal or greeting
5. : a rolling or undulatory movement or one of a series of such movements passing along a surface or through the air
6. : a movement like that of an ocean wave: as
a. : a surging movement of a group
a big new wave of women politicians
b. : one of a succession of influxes of people migrating into a region
c.
(1) : a moving group of animals of one kind
(2) : a sudden rapid increase in a population
d. : a line of attacking or advancing troops or airplanes
e. : a display of people in a large crowd (as at a sports event) successively rising, lifting their arms overhead, and quickly sitting so as to form a swell moving through the crowd
7.
a. : a disturbance or variation that transfers energy progressively from point to point in a medium and that may take the form of an elastic deformation or of a variation of pressure, electric or magnetic intensity, electric potential, or temperature
b. : one complete cycle of such a disturbance
8. : a marked change in temperature : a period of hot or cold weather
9. : an undulating or jagged line constituting a graphic representation of an action
• wave·less ˈwāv-ləs adjective
• wave·less·ly adverb
• wave·like -ˌlīk adjective