shock

Meanings

Noun

• A sudden, heavy impact.
• A shock absorber (typically in the suspension of a vehicle).
• A discontinuity arising in the solution of a partial differential equation.
• An arrangement of sheaves for drying; a stook.
• A lot consisting of sixty pieces; a term applied in some Baltic ports to loose goods.
• A tuft or bunch of something, such as hair or grass.
• A small dog with long shaggy hair, especially a poodle or spitz; a shaggy lapdog.

Adjective

• Causing intense surprise, horror, etc.; unexpected and shocking.

Verb

• To cause to be emotionally shocked, to cause (someone) to feel surprised and upset.
• To give an electric shock to.
• To subject to a shock wave or violent impact.
• To meet with a shock; to collide in a violent encounter.
• To collect, or make up, into a shock or shocks; to stook.

Origin

• From Middle Dutch schokken ("to push, jolt, shake, jerk") or Middle French choquer ("to collide with, clash"), from Old Dutch *skokkan ("to shake up and down, shog"), from Proto-Germanic *skukkaną ("to move, shake, tremble"). Of uncertain origin. Perhaps related to Proto-Germanic *skakaną ("to shake, stir"), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kAg'-, *(s)keg-; see shake. Cognate with Middle Low German schocken ("collide with, deliver a blow to, move back and forth"), Old High German scoc ("a jolt, swing"), Middle High German schocken ("to swing") (German schaukeln), Old Norse skykkr ("vibration, surging motion"), Icelandic skykkjun ("tremulously"), Middle English schiggen ("to shake"). More at shog.
• Variant of shag.