shock
    n 1: the feeling of distress and disbelief that you have when
         something bad happens accidentally; "his mother's death
         left him in a daze"; "he was numb with shock" [syn: daze,
         shock, stupor]
    2: the violent interaction of individuals or groups entering
       into combat; "the armies met in the shock of battle" [syn:
       shock, impact]
    3: 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, shock]
    4: (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"
    5: an instance of agitation of the earth's crust; "the first
       shock of the earthquake came shortly after noon while workers
       were at lunch" [syn: shock, seismic disturbance]
    6: an unpleasant or disappointing surprise; "it came as a shock
       to learn that he was injured" [syn: shock, blow]
    7: 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"
    8: a bushy thick mass (especially hair); "he had an unruly shock
       of black hair"
    9: a sudden jarring impact; "the door closed with a jolt"; "all
       the jars and jolts were smoothed out by the shock absorbers"
       [syn: jolt, jar, jounce, shock]
    10: a mechanical damper; absorbs energy of sudden impulses; "the
        old car needed a new set of shocks" [syn: shock absorber,
        shock, cushion]
    v 1: surprise greatly; knock someone's socks off; "I was floored
         when I heard that I was promoted" [syn: shock, floor,
         ball over, blow out of the water, take aback]
    2: strike with disgust or revulsion; "The scandalous behavior of
       this married woman shocked her friends" [syn: shock,
       offend, scandalize, scandalise, appal, appall,
       outrage]
    3: strike with horror or terror; "The news of the bombing
       shocked her"
    4: collide violently
    5: collect or gather into shocks; "shock grain"
    6: subject to electrical shocks
    7: inflict a trauma upon [syn: traumatize, traumatise,
       shock]

Shock \Shock\ (sh[o^]k), n. [OE. schokke; cf. OD schocke, G.
   schock a heap, quantity, threescore, MHG. schoc, Sw. skok,
   and also G. hocke a heap of hay, Lith. kugis.]
   1. A pile or assemblage of sheaves of grain, as wheat, rye,
      or the like, set up in a field, the sheaves varying in
      number from twelve to sixteen; a stook.
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            And cause it on shocks to be by and by set.
                                                  --Tusser.
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            Behind the master walks, builds up the shocks.
                                                  --Thomson.
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   2. [G. schock.] (Com.) A lot consisting of sixty pieces; -- a
      term applied in some Baltic ports to loose goods.
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Shock \Shock\, v. i.
   To meet with a shock; to meet in violent encounter. "They saw
   the moment approach when the two parties would shock
   together." --De Quincey.
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Shock \Shock\, n. [Cf. Shag.]
   1. (Zool.) A dog with long hair or shag; -- called also
      shockdog.
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   2. A thick mass of bushy hair; as, a head covered with a
      shock of sandy hair.
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Shock \Shock\, v. t.
   To collect, or make up, into a shock or shocks; to stook; as,
   to shock rye.
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Shock \Shock\, v. i.
   To be occupied with making shocks.
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         Reap well, scatter not, gather clean that is shorn,
         Bind fast, shock apace.                  --Tusser.
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Shock \Shock\, n. [Cf. D. schok a bounce, jolt, or leap, OHG.
   scoc a swing, MHG. schoc, Icel. skykkjun tremuously, F. choc
   a shock, collision, a dashing or striking against, Sp.
   choque, It. ciocco a log. [root]161. Cf. Shock to shake.]
   1. A quivering or shaking which is the effect of a blow,
      collision, or violent impulse; a blow, impact, or
      collision; a concussion; a sudden violent impulse or
      onset.
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            These strong, unshaken mounds resist the shocks
            Of tides and seas tempestuous.        --Blackmore.
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            He stood the shock of a whole host of foes.
                                                  --Addison.
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   2. A sudden agitation of the mind or feelings; a sensation of
      pleasure or pain caused by something unexpected or
      overpowering; also, a sudden agitating or overpowering
      event. "A shock of pleasure." --Talfourd.
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   3. (Med.) A sudden depression of the vital forces of the
      entire body, or of a part of it, marking some profound
      impression produced upon the nervous system, as by severe
      injury, overpowering emotion, or the like.
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   4. (Elec.) The sudden convulsion or contraction of the
      muscles, with the feeling of a concussion, caused by the
      discharge, through the animal system, of electricity from
      a charged body.
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   Syn: Concussion, Shock.

   Usage: Both words signify a sudden violent shaking caused by
          impact or colision; but concussion is restricted in
          use to matter, while shock is used also of mental
          states.
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Shock \Shock\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Shocked; p. pr. & vb. n.
   Shocking.] [OE. schokken; cf. D. schokken, F. choquer, Sp.
   chocar. [root]161. Cf. Chuck to strike, Jog, Shake,
   Shock a striking, Shog, n. & v.]
   1. To give a shock to; to cause to shake or waver; hence, to
      strike against suddenly; to encounter with violence.
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            Come the three corners of the world in arms,
            And we shall shock them.              --Shak.
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            I shall never forget the force with which he shocked
            De Vipont.                            --Sir W.
                                                  Scott.
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   2. To strike with surprise, terror, horror, or disgust; to
      cause to recoil; as, his violence shocked his associates.
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            Advise him not to shock a father's will. --Dryden.
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   3. (Physiol.) To subject to the action of an electrical
      discharge so as to cause a more or less violent depression
      or commotion of the nervous system.
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Shock \Shock\, a.
   Bushy; shaggy; as, a shock hair.
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         His red shock peruke . . . was laid aside. --Sir W.
                                                  Scott.
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