Wave

Wave, wāv, n. a ridge on the surface of water swaying or moving backwards and forwards: (poet.) the sea: a state of vibration propagated through a system of particles: inequality of surface: a line or streak like a wave: an undulation: a rush of anything: a gesture.—v.i. to move like a wave: to play loosely: to be moved, as a signal: to fluctuate.—v.t. to move backwards and forwards: to brandish: to waft or beckon: to raise into inequalities of surface.—p.adj. Waved, showing a wavelike form or outline: undulating: (her.) indented: (nat. hist.) having on the margin a succession of curved segments or incisions.—n. Wave′-length, the distance between the crests of adjacent waves.—adj. Wave′less, free from waves: undisturbed.—n. Wave′let, a little wave.—adj. Wave′like.—ns. Wave′-line, the outline, path, of a wave: the surface of the waves: the line made by a wave on the shore; Wave′-loaf, a loaf for a wave-offering; Wave′-mō′tion, undulatory movement; Wave′-mould′ing (archit.), undulating moulding; Wave′-off′ering, an ancient Jewish custom of moving the hands in succession towards the four points of the compass in presenting certain offerings—opposed to the Heave-offering, in which the hands were only lifted up and lowered.—v.t. Wā′ver, to move to and fro: to shake: to falter: to be unsteady or undetermined: to be in danger of falling.—ns. Wā′verer; Wā′vering.—adv. Wā′veringly, in a wavering or irresolute manner.—n. Wā′veringness.—adjs. Wā′verous, Wā′very, unsteady.—n. Wave′son, goods floating on the sea after a shipwreck.—adj. Wave′-worn, worn or washed away by the waves.—ns. Wā′viness, the state or quality of being wavy; Wā′ving.—adj. Wā′vy, full of or rising in waves: playing to and fro: undulating.—Hot wave, Warm wave, a movement of heat or warmth onwards, generally eastward. [A.S. wafian, to wave; cf. Ice. vafra, to waver.]