n. & v.
--n.
1. the swell of the sea breaking on the shore or reefs.
2 the foam produced by this.
--v.intr. go surf-riding.
Phrases and idioms:
surf-casting fishing by casting a line into the sea from the shore. surf-riding the sport of being carried over the surf to the shore on a surfboard.
Derivatives:
surfer n. surfy adj.
Etymology: app. f. obs. suff, perh. assim. to surge: orig. applied to the Indian coast