the feeling of distress and disbelief that you have when something bad happens accidentally; his mothers death left him in a daze; he was numb with shock
a mechanical damper; absorbs energy of sudden impulses; the old car needed a new set of shocks
[ Syn: shock absorber , cushion ]
the violent interaction of individuals or groups entering into combat; the armies met in the shock of battle
[ Syn: impact ]
a reflex response to the passage of electric current through the body; subjects received a small electric shock when they made the wrong response; electricians get accustomed to occasional shocks
[ Syn: electric shock , electrical shock ]
(pathology) bodily collapse or near collapse caused by inadequate oxygen delivery to the cells; characterized by reduced cardiac output and rapid heartbeat and circulatory insufficiency and pallor; loss of blood is an important cause of shock'
an instance of agitation of the earths crust; the first shock of the earthquake came shortly after noon while workers were at lunch
[ Syn: seismic disturbance ]
an unpleasant or disappointing surprise; it came as a shock to learn that he was injured
[ Syn: blow ]
a pile of sheaves of grain set on end in a field to dry; stalks of Indian corn set up in a field; corn is bound in small sheaves and several sheaves are set up together in shocks; whole fields of wheat in shock'
a bushy thick mass (especially hair); he had an unruly shock of black hair'
a sudden jarring impact; the door closed with a jolt; all the jars and jolts were smoothed out by the shock absorbers
shock (n.)
surprise greatly; knock someones socks off; I was floored when I heard that I was promoted
[ Syn: floor , ball over , blow out of the water , take aback ]
strike with disgust or revulsion; The scandalous behavior of this married woman shocked her friends
[ Syn: offend , scandalize , scandalise , appal , appall , outrage ]
strike with horror or terror; The news of the bombing shocked her'
collide violently
collect or gather into shocks; shock grain'
subject to electrical shocks
inflict a trauma upon
[ Syn: traumatize , traumatise ]