You searched for: “surge
serge, surge, surge
serge (SURJ) (noun)
A sturdy fabric that is woven with a diagonal stripe in it: "My mother made me a serge skirt to go with my new coat."
surge (SURJ) (verb)
1. To rise and fall in a sudden and excessive manner: "After the storm, we were afraid that the waves would surge against the shore, causing flooding."
  2. To move like advancing waves: "We could see the fans surge forward to see the movie star."
surge (SURJ) (noun)
1. Characterized by an unexpected and sudden fluctuation or rise and fall: "There was an unexpected surge in the electrical power last night."
2. A sudden spontaneous or planned increase in an activity: "President Barack Obama is set to formally authorize the dispatch of additional U.S. combat troops to Afghanistan, the beginning stage of a military surge that will likely add many more military personnel over the next year or more, doubling the U.S. occupation forces."

There seems to be a sudden fashion surge for blue serge suits this year.

surge (s) (noun), surges (pl)
1. A strong, wavelike forward movement; a rush; a sweep: The police had to prepare for the onward surge of the angry mob.
2. A strong, swelling, wavelike volume or body of something: The burning brush produced a billowing surge of smoke.
3. A fast, sudden movement: There was a suddenl surged forward in the car when Joe stepped on the gas pedal.
4. The swelling and rolling of the sea: The surge of the ocean crashed against the homes along the beach.
5. In meteorology, a widespread change in atmospheric pressure that is in addition to cyclonic and normal diurnal changes; A storm surge was predicted on the news in the morning.
6. With electricity, a sudden rush or burst of current or voltage; a violent oscillatory disturbance: A power surge at the city's generator produced a sudden blackout in the whole area.
7. An uneven flow and strong momentum given to a fluid: There was a surge of water in the tank resulting in a rapid, temporary rise in pressure.
8. A sudden unplanned change in an electrical system's voltage which is capable of damaging electrical equipment: An example of such a surge would be especially an increase in voltage significantly above the designated level of 120 volts for U.S. household and office wiring, or 220 volts in Europe or in other parts of the world.
9. Etymology: from Latin surgere, "to rise"; a contraction of surrigere, "to rise" from sub-, "up from below" + regere, "to keep straight, to guide".

Electrical surges refer to sudden unplanned changes in an electrical system's voltage that is capable of damaging electrical equipment, especially an increase in voltage significantly above the designated level of 120 volts or 220 volts.

This entry is located in the following units: regi-, reg-, rec-, rex- (page 12) surg-, sur- (page 2)
surge (verb), surges; surged; surging
1. To rise and to fall, to toss around, or to move along on the waves: "The boat was seen surging at anchor."
2. To rise, to roll, to move, or to swell forward in or like waves: "The ocean surged against the beach area as the crowd surged back and forth."
3. To rise as if by a heaving or swelling force: "It was obvious that blood surged to his face when he heard the bad news."
4. To increase or to vary suddenly, as an electric current.
5. A sudden fluctuation of voltage as a result of lightning, switching, etc.
6. Etymology: Latin surgere literally meant "to lead up from below"; hence "rise".

It originated as a compound verb formed from the prefix sub-, from below" and regere, "to lead".

The English language acquired it by way of Old Spanish surgir and Old French sourgir, at which time it included meanings associated with watery references of "waves heaving".

Surgere also produced such English words as, resource, resurrection, and source.

This entry is located in the following unit: surg-, sur- (page 2)
(Latin: gurgitare, "to flood"; gurges, gurgitis, "the gullet, a gulf, the sea"; to surge, to flood; pour, glut, gorge; whirlpool, engulf; boiling liquid)
Word Entries containing the term: “surge
electronic surge arrester
1. An apparatus used to switch to ground high-energy surges, reducing transient energy to a level safe for secondary protectors; for example, silicon rectifiers (electrical devices that have a higher conductance for current flowing in one direction than for current flowing in the opposite direction), Zener diodes (types of diodes that permit electric current not only in the forward direction like a normal diode, but also in the reverse direction), etc.

A surge arrester is a protective device designed primarily for the connection between a conductor of an electrical system and ground to limit the magnitude of transient overvoltages on equipment. A lightning arrester is really a voltage-surge arrester.

This entry is located in the following unit: electro-, electr-, electri- (page 69)
military surge (s) (noun), military surges (pl)
A strong swelling, increase, or rush of members of the armed forces into a specified area: "Pakistani military leaders believe that the current military surge will be the last push before the U.S. begins a face-saving troop drawdown."
This entry is located in the following units: milit- (page 2) surg-, sur- (page 1)
pyroclastic ground surge (s), (noun), pyroclastic ground surges (pl)
The comparatively thin layer of rock of varying thickness found around a volcanic vent.
This entry is located in the following units: pyro-, pyr- (page 2) surg-, sur- (page 1)
storm surge (s) (noun), storm surges (pl)
A surge that is caused by very low atmospheric pressure and which is a volume of oceanic water driven by the wind towards the shore where it "builds up" along the coast producing a localized increase in sea level.

Storm surges are said to be the deadliest elements of cyclonic storms.

This entry is located in the following unit: surg-, sur- (page 2)
surge capacity (s) (noun), surge capacities (pl)
The maximum power, usually 3-5 times the rated power: A surge capacity can be provided to an electrical system over a short time without damage to the system.
surge suppressor, surge protector (s) (noun); surge suppressors; surge protectors (pl)
A component that responds to the rate of change of an electrical current or voltage: A surge suppressor prevents damage from a sudden fluctuation in electrical power, especially a large increase above a predetermined value.

A surge suppressor is often used to protect computer systems and other electronic equipment.

Word Entries at Get Words: “surge
surge (s) (noun), surges (pl)
1. A powerful rising and falling, or forward rushing movement, like that of the sea: There was a surge of seawater against the seawall during the storm.
2. A sudden, intense experience of an emotion; especially, one that seems to rush through a person like a wave: Lenora had a surge of anger when her colleague criticized her work.
3. A sudden increase in something, often one that is relatively short-lived: There was a surge in demand for the computers.

The people in the community experienced a sudden surge of prices for food products.

4. An unexpected and temporary increase in an electrical current or voltage: Addie's electric clock on the stove went out after the electric surge during the thunder storm.
5. Etymology: "fountain, stream"; apparently from Middle French sourge-, a stem of sourdre, "to rise, to swell"; from Latin surgere, "to rise", a contraction of surrigere, "to rise"; from sub-, "up from below" + regere, "to keep straight, to guide".

The same Latin verb gives us insurgent, "one who rises up against authority" and resurrection, "a rising again".

This entry is located in the following unit: English Words in Action, Group S (page 14)
surge (SURJ) (verb), surges; surged; surging
1. To rush or to move quickly in a specific direction: The shoppers surged into the store the minute the doors were opened.
2. To rise or to increase in a rapid manner: The crowd of enthusiasts were surging towards the auditorium to get seats to hear the lecture on astronomy.

As the Philippines' population surges, the space for learning vanishes

With a country whose population of 92 million is exploding or surging so fast, and whose education budget is so small, that it cannot find space to teach its children, many classes have 100 pupils in them.

The surge is a result of more children coming into the public schools as the economy tightens and families cannot afford the advantages of private schools, with their smaller classes.

The shortage of toilets has also become a problem; particularly when some lavatories have been converted into "claustrophobic faculty lounges, while the teacher's lounges have been put to use as classrooms".

—A compilation based on information in an article
by Seth Mydans, as seen in the International Herald Tribune,
August 25, 2009; page 4.
This entry is located in the following unit: English Words in Action, Group S (page 14)
Word Entries at Get Words containing the term: “surge
storm surge
An abnormal and rapid rise in ocean levels along a coast, caused by strong winds.
This entry is located in the following unit: Meteorology or Weather Terms + (page 6)
surge capacity
The maximum power, usually three to five times the rated power, that can be provided over a short time.
This entry is located in the following unit: Photovoltaic Conversion Efficiency Terms + (page 21)