shock

SaySHOK/ʃɔk/UK/ʃɒk/

22 meanings of shock

1
nouncountable or uncountable
A feeling of deep upset that comes after hearing very bad or surprising news.
Like your mind freezing up when something terrible happens.
She was still in shock after hearing about the accident.
The terrible news left him in a state of shock for days.
Similartrauma, distress
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2
nounfigurativelycountable or uncountable
A very surprising thing that leaves people stunned.
Like a surprise so big it makes you stop and stare.
The ending of the movie was a real shock.
Winning the prize came as a complete shock to her.
Similarsurprise, astonishment, amazement, awe, bewilderment
3
nouncountable or uncountable
A sudden, strong upset to your feelings or mind.
Like a sudden jolt to your feelings.
The loud crash gave the children a real shock.
Her cruel words came as a sudden shock to everyone present.
Similarblow, jolt, trauma, upset
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4
nouncountable or uncountable
A sudden, painful burst of electricity passing through the body.
Like a sudden sting that runs through your whole arm.
He got a shock when he touched the bare wire.
Be careful, or that old outlet could give you a shock.
Similarjolt, zap
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5
verbtransitive
To make someone feel very surprised and upset.
Like surprising someone so much they can't speak.
The terrible news shocked the whole town.
Try not to shock your grandmother with that story.
Similarshatter
6
nouncountable or uncountable
A sudden, hard hit or blow.
Like the hard bump you feel when two cars knock together.
The shock of the crash threw them forward in their seats.
Workers felt the shock when the heavy beam hit the ground.
Similarimpact, jolt, blast, force
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7
adjective
Causing strong surprise or horror, and completely unexpected.
Her resignation was shock news to the staff.
The poll produced a shock result nobody predicted.
Similarsensational, startling, stunning
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8
verbtransitive
To send an electric current through a person or animal.
Like touching something that stings you with electricity.
The broken fence shocked anyone who touched it.
Don't let that loose wire shock you.
Similarzap, jolt
9
nouncountable or uncountable
A part in a vehicle that softens bumps from the road.
Like a cushion that soaks up the bumps when you ride.
The mechanic said the front shock needs replacing.
Worn shocks made the truck bounce over every bump.
Similardamper
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10
nouncountable or uncountable
A fast-moving wave of pressure caused by a blast or explosion.
Like the powerful push of air you feel when something explodes nearby.
The shock from the blast knocked people off their feet.
A loud bang sent a shock rippling through the air.
Similartremor, blast
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11
nouncountable or uncountable
A dangerous condition where the body cannot get enough blood and oxygen to its organs.
Like a water system that can't pump enough water to reach every house.
The accident victim went into shock before the ambulance arrived.
Doctors treated her for shock after the heavy blood loss.
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12
nouncountable
A thick bunch of something like hair or grass that stands up together.
Like a thick bunch of grass all growing up in one spot.
A shock of red hair stuck out from under his hat.
A thick shock of dry grass grew beside the old gate.
Similarmop
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13
nouncountable or uncountable
A chemical you add to a swimming pool to keep the chlorine at the right level.
Like medicine that keeps the pool water clean and safe.
We added shock to the pool after the heavy storm.
The store had run out of shock, so the water stayed cloudy.
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14
verbtransitive
To add a chemical to a swimming pool to keep its chlorine at the right level.
Like adding the right cleaner to keep a pool fresh.
We shock the pool every spring before we open it.
You should shock the water after a big pool party.
15
verbtransitive
To hit something with a sudden strong blow or blast of force.
Like hitting something so hard with a blast that it shakes all over.
Engineers test how much force can shock a steel beam before it bends.
The huge blast shocked the concrete wall and left deep cracks.
Similarjolt, jar, batter
16
nouncountable
A group of grain bundles stood up together in a field to dry.
Like leaning bundles of grain together so they stand up like a little tent.
The farmer stacked the cut wheat into a shock to dry in the sun.
Rows of shocks stood across the field after the harvest.
Similarstook
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17
verbtransitive
To gather cut grain into standing bundles so it can dry.
Like standing books up against each other so they don't fall over.
The workers shock the wheat as soon as it is cut.
We had to shock the oats before the rain arrived.
Similarstook
18
nouncountable or uncountable
A sudden jump in the answer to a certain kind of hard math problem.
Like a sudden step in a path that should have been a smooth slope.
The computer model showed a shock where the values jumped all at once.
A shock forms when the math has no smooth answer at that point.
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19
verbtransitive
To change the inside structure of a rock using huge sudden pressure, like from a meteor strike.
Like squeezing a rock so hard and fast that its insides get rearranged.
A giant meteor can shock the rocks all around the crater.
The blast was strong enough to shock the quartz in the bedrock.
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20
verbobsoleteintransitive
To crash into one another in a sudden, violent meeting.
Like two cars crashing straight into each other head-on.
When the battle lines shock, the noise of breaking shields fills the valley.
They saw the moment approach when the two parties would shock together.
1832, Thomas De Quincey, Klosterheim OrHere, shock means to crash into each other with great force.
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21
noundatedcountable
A group of sixty items counted together as one unit when selling goods.
Like a dozen, but it means sixty things instead of twelve.
The merchant ordered three shocks of barrel staves for the long voyage.
Each shock was counted out as sixty pieces before loading.
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22
nounobsolete
A small dog with long, messy, shaggy hair, like a little poodle.
Like a tiny dog that looks like a ball of fluffy hair.
Her little shock followed her from room to room all day long.
When I read of witty persons, I could not figure them but like the little shock. (translating the German Spitz)
1827, Thomas Carlyle, The Fair-Haired EckbertHere, shock means a small lapdog with long shaggy fur.
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Practice

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Origin

It comes from an old Dutch or French word meaning to push, jolt, or crash into something. The exact origin is not certain.