tidal wave
/ˈtaɪdəlweɪv/ noun
Forms tidal waves
- noun A large and sudden rise and fall in the tide.
- noun (proscribed) A large, sudden, and disastrous wave of water caused by a tremendous disturbance in the ocean; a tsunami. (See Usage notes below.) “The last tidal wave here killed twenty and left thousands homeless.”
- noun (proscribed) A large, sudden inundation of water from the storm surge, or waves of that surge; a sudden surge of river water.
- noun (figuratively) A sudden and powerful surge. “As the doors opened, a tidal wave of people flooded into the room.”
- noun (archaic) A crest of ocean water; a wave.
- noun (oceanography) A crest of ocean water resulting from tidal forces.
Sources: Wiktionary — from the Wiktionary entry “tidal wave”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details