Definition of "surge"

surge

/sɝd͡ʒ/

noun
plural surges
1. A sudden transient rush, flood or increase.
  Quotations
  As President Obama turns his attention once again to filling out a cabinet and writing an Inaugural Address, this much is clear: he should not expect to bask in a surge of national unity, or to witness a crowd of millions overrun the Mall just to say they were there.
  2012 November 7, Matt Bai, “Winning a Second Term, Obama Will Confront Familiar Headwinds”, in New York Times‎
2. The maximum amplitude of a vehicle's forward/backward oscillation.
3. (electricity) A sudden electrical spike or increase of voltage and current.
  Quotations
  When the diesel was being worked full out, the ammeter normally showed about 1,500-1,600 amps, with occasional surges of current at starting or up the steepest gradients to 1,700 or even 1,800 amps.
  1959 March, Cecil J. Allen, “Locomotive Running Past and Present”, in Trains Illustrated, page 132
4. (aviation) A momentary reversal of the airflow through the compressor section of a jet engine due to disruption of the airflow entering the engine's air intake, accompanied by loud banging noises, emission of flame, and temporary loss of thrust.
5. (nautical) The swell or heave of the sea (FM 55-501).
  Quotations
  He that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed.
  1901, Bible (American Standard Version), James i. 6
  He flies aloft, and, with impetuous roar, / Pursues the foaming surges to the shore.
  1697, Virgil, “Georgics”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […]
6. (US, naval, often attributive) A deployment in large numbers at short notice.
7. (obsolete) A spring; a fountain.
  Quotations
  all great rivers are gorged and assembled of various surges and springs of water
  1523-1525, John Bourchier, 2nd Baron Berners, Froissart's Chronicles
8. The tapered part of a windlass barrel or a capstan, upon which the cable surges, or slips.
verb
third-person singular simple present surges, present participle surging, simple past and past participle surged
1. (intransitive) To rush, flood, or increase suddenly.
  Quotations
  Carried somehow, somewhither, for some reason, on these surging floods, were these travelers, of errand not wholly obvious to their fellows, yet of such sort as to call into query alike the nature of their errand and their own relations.
  1910, Emerson Hough, chapter II, in The Purchase Price: Or The Cause of Compromise, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company
  Athletes' use of herbal supplements has skyrocketed in the past two decades. At the top of the list of popular herbs are echinacea and ginseng, whereas garlic, St. John's wort, soybean, ephedra and others are also surging in popularity or have been historically prevalent.
  2013 March, David S. Senchina, “Athletics and Herbal Supplements”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 2, page 134
2. To accelerate forwards, particularly suddenly.
  Quotations
  Wales began the second half as they ended the first, closing down Montenegro quickly and the pressure told as Bale surged into the box and pulled the ball back for skipper Ramsey, arriving on cue, to double their lead.
  2011 September 2, “Wales 2-1 Montenegro”, in BBC
3. (intransitive, aviation, of a jet engine) To experience a momentary reversal of airflow through the compressor section due to disruption of intake airflow.
4. (transitive, nautical) To slack off a line.

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