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View synonyms for

shock

1

[shok]

noun

  1. a sudden and violent blow or impact; collision.

  2. a sudden or violent disturbance or commotion.

    the shock of battle.

  3. a sudden or violent disturbance of the mind, emotions, or sensibilities.

    The burglary was a shock to her sense of security. The book provided a shock, nothing more.

  4. the cause of such a disturbance.

    The rebuke came as a shock.

  5. Pathology.a collapse of circulatory function, caused by severe injury, blood loss, or disease, and characterized by pallor, sweating, weak pulse, and very low blood pressure.

  6. the physiological effect produced by the passage of an electric current through the body.

  7. Informal.shocks, shock absorbers, especially in the suspension of an automobile.



verb (used with object)

  1. to strike or jar with intense surprise, horror, disgust, etc..

    He enjoyed shocking people.

    Synonyms: , ,
  2. to strike against violently.

  3. to give an electric shock to.

verb (used without object)

  1. to undergo a shock.

shock

2

[shok]

noun

  1. a group of sheaves of grain placed on end and supporting one another in the field.

verb (used with object)

  1. to make into shocks.

shock

3

[shok]

noun

  1. a thick, bushy mass, as of hair.

  2. Also shock dog a dog with long, shaggy hair.

adjective

  1. shaggy, as hair.

shock

1

/ ʃɒ /

verb

  1. to experience or cause to experience extreme horror, disgust, surprise, etc

    the atrocities shocked us

    she shocks easily

  2. to cause a state of shock in (a person)

  3. to come or cause to come into violent contact; jar

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. a sudden and violent jarring blow or impact

  2. something that causes a sudden and violent disturbance in the emotions

    the shock of her father's death made her ill

  3. pathol a state of bodily collapse or near collapse caused by circulatory failure or sudden lowering of the blood pressure, as from severe bleeding, burns, fright, etc

  4. pathol pain and muscular spasm as the physical reaction to an electric current passing through the body

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

shock

2

/ ʃɒ /

noun

  1. a number of sheaves set on end in a field to dry

  2. a pile or stack of unthreshed corn

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. (tr) to set up (sheaves) in shocks

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

shock

3

/ ʃɒ /

noun

  1. a thick bushy mass, esp of hair

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. rarebushy; shaggy

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

shock

  1. An instance of the passage of an electric current through the body. The amount of injury caused by electric shock depends on the type and strength of the current, the length of time the current is applied, and the route the current takes once it enters the body.

  2. A life-threatening condition marked by a severe drop in blood pressure, resulting from serious injury or illness.

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Other Word Forms

  • shockable adjective
  • shockability noun
  • shockedness noun
  • shocklike adjective
  • unshockability noun
  • unshockable adjective
  • shocker noun
  • ˈdz첹 adjective
  • ˌdz첹ˈٲ noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of shock1

First recorded in 1565–75; from Middle French choc “armed encounter,” noun derivative of choquer “to clash (in battle),” from Germanic (probably Frankish); compare Dutch schokken “to shake, jolt, jerk”

Origin of shock2

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English shok, shocke, shok(k)e; cognate with Middle Low German, Low German scok, schok, all meaning “shock of grain, group of sixty,” German Schock “sٲ”

Origin of shock3

First recorded in 1815–20; special use of shock 2 (the hair being compared to a shock of wheat)
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Word History and Origins

Origin of shock1

C16: from Old French choc, from choquier to make violent contact with, of Germanic origin; related to Middle High German schoc

Origin of shock2

C14: probably of Germanic origin; compare Middle Low German, Middle Dutch schok shock of corn, group of sixty

Origin of shock3

C19: perhaps from shock ²
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Idioms and Phrases

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Synonym Study

Shock, startle, paralyze, stun suggest a sudden, sharp surprise that affects one somewhat like a blow. Shock suggests a strong blow, as it were, to one's nerves, sentiments, sense of decency, etc.: The onlookers were shocked by the accident. Startle implies the sharp surprise of sudden fright: to be startled by a loud noise. Paralyze implies such a complete shock as to render one temporarily helpless: paralyzed with fear. Stun implies such a shock as bewilders or stupefies: stunned by the realization of an unpleasant truth.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

"You don't see police activity in this neighbourhood. We are very shocked."

From

The chief executive apologised to staff saying the group was "shocked and outraged" that the two senior employees had carried out unauthorised work on the project.

From

England's Luke Humphries and Luke Littler are out of the World Cup of Darts after suffering a shock defeat by hosts Germany in the last 16.

From

But now, they added, "we have multiple genuine global crises", when even "one shock is enough to shift the goalposts".

From

Two shocking attacks within two hours of each other, in France and Austria, have left parents and governments reeling and at a loss how to protect school students from random, deadly violence.

From

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When To Use

is a basic definition ofshock?

A shock is a sudden, intense mental or physical impact. Shock is also the effect of having electricity run through the body. To shock someone means to intensely surprise or horrify someone. Shock has several other senses as a noun and a verb.The word shock often refers to a sudden mental disturbance that causes an intense emotion, usually surprise or horror. You might feel a shock when you see a failing grade on a test. The word shock can also refer to whatever causes this sudden surprise. The noun shocker and adjective shocking often refer to this sense of shock.



  • Used in a sentence: It took Julie a few minutes to recover from the shock of seeing a dancing circus bear in her living room. 


Shock is used in this same sense as a verb to mean to cause someone to be suddenly overwhelmed by emotion (usually surprise or horror).



  • Used in a sentence: I was shocked by my incredibly high phone bill.  


A shock can also be a sudden physical impact. This sense is less common than the emotional one.



  • Used in a sentence: The springs absorbed most of the shock from colliding with the wall. 


Shock also refers to the bodily imbalance, discomfort, or damage caused by electricity running through a person’s body. This sense is often specifically referred to as “an electric shock,” especially when discussing injuries or medical emergencies.



  • Used in a sentence: The electrician barely survived the electric shock he got while working on the power lines. 


In this same sense, shock is used as a verb to mean to give an electric shock to someone.



  • Used in a sentence: The squirrel was shocked by the cord while chewing on it.


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shochetshock absorber