collocations.org

Collocations for wave - noun

1. on water

ADJ.

big, enormous, giant, great, huge, mountainous | small, tiny | white-capped, white-crested, white-topped | breaking | tidal
Several villages have been destroyed by a huge tidal wave.

VERB + WAVE

ride
Surfers flocked to the beach to ride the waves.

WAVE + VERB

rise | break, fall
We watched the waves breaking on the shore.
lap
the gentle sound of waves lapping the sand
crash, roar, smash
I could hear the waves crash against the rocks.

WAVE + NOUN

energy, power

PREP.

in the ~s
children playing in the waves
on the ~s
There were seagulls bobbing on the waves.

PHRASES

the crash/crashing/lap/lapping of the waves, the crest of a wave
(often figurative) She is on the crest of a wave at the moment following her Olympic success.

2. movement of energy

ADJ.

electromagnetic, light, radio, seismic, shock, sound

VERB + WAVE

emit, generate | deflect

WAVE + VERB

bounce off sth, travel
Sound waves bounce off objects in their path.

3. increase/spread

ADJ.

big, enormous, huge, massive | fresh, new, next, recent | first, second, etc.
the first wave of immigration in the 1950s
crime

VERB + WAVE

send
Hearing the tune again sent waves of longing through her.

WAVE + VERB

sweep (over) sth, wash over/through sb/sth
With the fall of the Bastille in 1789, a wave of euphoria swept over Europe. | A wave of relief washed over him as he saw that the children were safe.

PREP.

~ of
a big wave of refugees

4. hand movement

ADJ.

quick | cheery, friendly | farewell, parting

VERB + WAVE

give (sb), return
I returned his wave and started to walk towards him.

PREP.

with a ~ | ~ of
He dismissed her thanks with a quick wave of the hand.

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