Wave Meaning
/weɪv/Definition, CEFR level A2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
verbTo move back and forth repeatedly and somewhat loosely.
verbTo move one's hand back and forth (generally above the shoulders) in greeting or departure.
Sentence Examples
A cold wave passed over Japan.
The earthquake created a tremendous sea wave.
A big wave swept the man off the boat.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The experienced surfer rode the huge ocean ____ towards the shore carefully.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
I saw my friend standing on the other side of the street, so I decided to ____ hello to him today.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English waven, from Old English wafian (“to wave, fluctuate, waver in mind, wonder”), from Proto-West Germanic *wabōn, from Proto-Germanic *wabōną, *wabjaną (“to wander, sway”), from Proto-Indo-European *webʰ- (“to move to and from, wander”). Cognate with Middle High German waben (“to wave”), German wabern (“to waft”), Icelandic váfa (“to fluctuate, waver, doubt”). See also waver.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"But the World Cup winning veteran's left boot was awry again, the attempt sliced horribly wide of the left upright, and the saltires were waving aloft again a moment later when a long pass in the England midfield was picked off to almost offer up a breakaway try."
— 2011 October 1, Tom Fordyce, “Rugby World Cup 2011: England 16-12 Scotland”, in BBC Sport:
"I raised my arms in a final salute. I smiled. I waved goodbye. I turned into the helicopter, the door was closed, the red carpet was rolled up."
— 1978, Richard Nixon, RN: the Memoirs of Richard Nixon, Grosset & Dunlap, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, page 1090:
"Look, with what courteous action / It waves you to a more removed ground."
— c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iv]:
"She spoke, and bowing waved / Dismissal."
— 1847, Alfred Tennyson, “Part 2”, in The Princess: A Medley, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC:
"horns whelked and waved like the enridged sea"
— c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene vi]:
Explore More A2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The experienced surfer rode the huge ocean ____ towards the shore carefully.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
I saw my friend standing on the other side of the street, so I decided to ____ hello to him today.