shock

Plural: shocks

Noun

• the feeling of distress and disbelief that you have when something bad happens accidentally
  • "he was numb with shock"
• the violent interaction of individuals or groups entering into combat
  • "the armies met in the shock of battle"
• a reflex response to the passage of electric current through the body
  • "subjects received a small electric shock when they made the wrong response"
  • "electricians get accustomed to occasional shocks"
• (pathology) bodily collapse or near collapse caused by inadequate oxygen delivery to the cells; characterized by reduced cardiac output and rapid heartbeat and circulatory insufficiency and pallor
  • "loss of blood is an important cause of shock"
• an instance of agitation of the earth's crust
  • "the first shock of the earthquake came shortly after noon while workers were at lunch"
• an unpleasant or disappointing surprise
  • "it came as a shock to learn that he was injured"
• a pile of sheaves of grain set on end in a field to dry; stalks of Indian corn set up in a field
  • "corn is bound in small sheaves and several sheaves are set up together in shocks"
  • "whole fields of wheat in shock"
• a bushy thick mass (especially hair)
  • "he had an unruly shock of black hair"
• a sudden jarring impact
  • "all the jars and jolts were smoothed out by the shock absorbers"
• a mechanical damper; absorbs energy of sudden impulses
  • "the old car needed a new set of shocks"
• A sudden, heavy impact.
• A sudden, heavy impact.
• Something so surprising that it is stunning.
• A sudden, heavy impact.
• A sudden or violent mental or emotional disturbance.
• A sudden, heavy impact.
• Electric shock, a sudden burst of electrical energy hitting a person or animal.
• A sudden, heavy impact.
• A state of distress following a mental or emotional disturbance, often caused by news or other stimuli.
• A sudden, heavy impact.
• Circulatory shock, a medical emergency characterized by the inability of the circulatory system to supply enough oxygen to meet tissue requirements.
• A sudden, heavy impact.
• A shock wave.
• A shock absorber (typically in the suspension of a vehicle).
• A discontinuity arising in the solution of a partial differential equation.
• A chemical added to a swimming pool to moderate the chlorine levels.
• An arrangement of sheaves for drying; a stook.
• A lot consisting of sixty pieces; a term applied in some Baltic ports to loose goods.
• A tuft or bunch of something, such as hair or grass.
• A small dog with long shaggy hair, especially a poodle or spitz; a shaggy lapdog.

Verb

Verb Forms: shocked, shocking, shocks

• To cause sudden, intense surprise, horror, or disgust.
• surprise greatly; knock someone's socks off
• strike with disgust or revulsion
  • "The scandalous behavior of this married woman shocked her friends"
• strike with horror or terror
  • "The news of the bombing shocked her"
• collide violently
• collect or gather into shocks
  • "shock grain"
• subject to electrical shocks
• inflict a trauma upon
• To cause to be emotionally shocked; to cause (someone) to feel surprised and upset.
• To give an electric shock to.
• To subject to a shock wave or violent impact.
• To meet with a shock; to collide in a violent encounter.
• To add a chemical to (a swimming pool) to moderate the chlorine levels.
• To deform the crystal structure of a stone by the application of extremely high pressure at moderate temperature, as produced only by hypervelocity impact events, lightning strikes, and nuclear explosions.
• To collect, or make up, into a shock or shocks; to stook.

Adj

• Causing intense surprise, horror, etc.; unexpected and shocking.

Examples

• Ammonium nitrate can detonate if severely shocked.
• His head boasted a shock of sandy hair.
• His shock announcement rocked the tennis world.
• If your truck's been riding rough, it might need new shocks.
• Several reflected shocks enter the bomb core in rapid succession, each helping to compress it to its maximum density.
• The 100-point bingo his opponent played SHOCKED him into silent admiration.
• The disaster shocked the world.
• The train hit the buffers with a great shock.
• to shock rye

Synonyms

appal, appall, ball over, blow, blow out of the water, cushion, daze, electric shock, electrical shock, floor, impact, jar, jolt, jounce, offend, outrage, scandalise, scandalize, seismic disturbance, shock absorber, stupor, take aback, traumatise, traumatize, amazement, astonishment, awe, bewilderment, flabbergast, flabbergastation, flabbergastment, shock, stupefaction, surprise

Anagrams of shock