shock

¹

[ shok ]

noun

1. a sudden and violent blow or impact; collision.
2. a sudden or violent disturbance or commotion:

   the shock of battle.

3. a sudden or violent disturbance of the mind, emotions, or sensibilities:

   The burglary was a shock to her sense of security. The book provided a shock, nothing more.

4. the cause of such a disturbance:

   The rebuke came as a shock.

5. Pathology. a collapse of circulatory function, caused by severe injury, blood loss, or disease, and characterized by pallor, sweating, weak pulse, and very low blood pressure. Compare anaphylactic shock, cardiogenic shock, hypovolemic shock.
6. the physiological effect produced by the passage of an electric current through the body.
7. shocks, Informal. shock absorbers, especially in the suspension of an automobile.

verb (used with object)

1. to strike or jar with intense surprise, horror, disgust, etc.:

   He enjoyed shocking people.

   Synonyms: stupefy, astound, stagger

2. to strike against violently.
3. to give an electric shock to.

verb (used without object)

1. to undergo a shock.

shock

²

[ shok ]

noun

1. a group of sheaves of grain placed on end and supporting one another in the field.

verb (used with object)

1. to make into shocks.

shock

³

[ shok ]

noun

1. a thick, bushy mass, as of hair.
2. Also shock dog. a dog with long, shaggy hair.

adjective

1. shaggy, as hair.

shock

¹

/ ʃɒk /

noun

1. a number of sheaves set on end in a field to dry
2. a pile or stack of unthreshed corn

verb

1. tr to set up (sheaves) in shocks

shock

²

/ ʃɒk /

noun

1. a thick bushy mass, esp of hair

adjective

1. rare.
   bushy; shaggy

shock

³

/ ʃɒk /

verb

1. to experience or cause to experience extreme horror, disgust, surprise, etc

   the atrocities shocked us

   she shocks easily

2. to cause a state of shock in (a person)
3. to come or cause to come into violent contact; jar

noun

1. a sudden and violent jarring blow or impact
2. something that causes a sudden and violent disturbance in the emotions

   the shock of her father's death made her ill

3. pathol a state of bodily collapse or near collapse caused by circulatory failure or sudden lowering of the blood pressure, as from severe bleeding, burns, fright, etc
4. pathol pain and muscular spasm as the physical reaction to an electric current passing through the body

shock

/ shŏk /

1. An instance of the passage of an electric current through the body. The amount of injury caused by electric shock depends on the type and strength of the current, the length of time the current is applied, and the route the current takes once it enters the body.
2. A life-threatening condition marked by a severe drop in blood pressure, resulting from serious injury or illness.

Derived Forms

• ˈshockable, adjective
• ˌshockaˈbility, noun

Other Words From

• shocka·ble adjective
• shocka·bili·ty noun
• shocked·ness noun
• shocklike adjective
• unshock·a·bili·ty noun
• un·shocka·ble adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of shock¹

First recorded in 1565–75; from Middle French choc “armed encounter,” noun derivative of choquer “to clash (in battle),” from Germanic (probably Frankish); compare Dutch schokken “to shake, jolt, jerk”

Origin of shock²

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English shok, shocke, shok(k)e; cognate with Middle Low German, Low German scok, schok, all meaning “shock of grain, group of sixty,” German Schock “sixty”

Origin of shock³

First recorded in 1815–20; special use of shock ² (the hair being compared to a shock of wheat)

Word History and Origins

Origin of shock¹

C14: probably of Germanic origin; compare Middle Low German, Middle Dutch schok shock of corn, group of sixty

Origin of shock²

C19: perhaps from shock ²

Origin of shock³

C16: from Old French choc, from choquier to make violent contact with, of Germanic origin; related to Middle High German schoc

Idioms and Phrases

see culture shock .

Synonym Study

Shock, startle, paralyze, stun suggest a sudden, sharp surprise that affects one somewhat like a blow. Shock suggests a strong blow, as it were, to one's nerves, sentiments, sense of decency, etc.: The onlookers were shocked by the accident. Startle implies the sharp surprise of sudden fright: to be startled by a loud noise. Paralyze implies such a complete shock as to render one temporarily helpless: paralyzed with fear. Stun implies such a shock as bewilders or stupefies: stunned by the realization of an unpleasant truth.

Example Sentences

But after the initial shock, the group has reorganised itself.

From BBC

“I was shocked when the Vatican raised their flag and opposed the human rights language,” said Sostina Takure, from Christian charity ACT Alliance.

From BBC

"It was quite a shocking thing to see and unexpected, but equally for various reasons quite welcome for them to go on TV like that," he said.

From BBC

Her death was the result of hemorrhagic shock due to blood loss, according to the letter.

From Los Angeles Times

On social media, people have been expressing shock, disappointment and anguish that it’s all happening again.

From BBC

Related Words

• agitate
• anger
• astound
• awe
• disgust
• dismay
• displease
• disturb
• flabbergast
• horrify
• insult
• jar
• jolt
• offend
• outrage
• overwhelm
• paralyze
• rock
• shake
• shake up

More About Shock

What is a basic definition of shock?

A shock is a sudden, intense mental or physical impact. Shock is also the effect of having electricity run through the body. To shock someone means to intensely surprise or horrify someone. Shock has several other senses as a noun and a verb.

The word shock often refers to a sudden mental disturbance that causes an intense emotion, usually surprise or horror. You might feel a shock when you see a failing grade on a test. The word shock can also refer to whatever causes this sudden surprise. The noun shocker and adjective shocking often refer to this sense of shock.

• Used in a sentence: It took Julie a few minutes to recover from the shock of seeing a dancing circus bear in her living room. 

Shock is used in this same sense as a verb to mean to cause someone to be suddenly overwhelmed by emotion (usually surprise or horror).

• Used in a sentence: I was shocked by my incredibly high phone bill.  

A shock can also be a sudden physical impact. This sense is less common than the emotional one.

• Used in a sentence: The springs absorbed most of the shock from colliding with the wall. 

Shock also refers to the bodily imbalance, discomfort, or damage caused by electricity running through a person’s body. This sense is often specifically referred to as “an electric shock,” especially when discussing injuries or medical emergencies.

• Used in a sentence: The electrician barely survived the electric shock he got while working on the power lines. 

In this same sense, shock is used as a verb to mean to give an electric shock to someone.

• Used in a sentence: The squirrel was shocked by the cord while chewing on it.

Where does shock come from?

The first records of shock come from around 1565. It ultimately comes from the Old French verb choquier, meaning “to clash in batte.”

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to shock? 

• shocker (noun)
• shocking (adjective)
• shockable (adjective)
• shockability (noun)
• shocklike (adjective)

What are some synonyms for shock?

• surprise
• jolt
• scare
• impact
• startle
• flabbergast

What are some words that share a root or word element with shock?

• shocking
• shocker
• shock absorber
• anaphylactic shock
• shock jock

What are some words that often get used in discussing shock?

• surprise
• horror
• bewilderment
• electricity
• static

How is shock used in real life?

Shock is a common word that most often refers to sudden surprises or electrical accidents.

This may come as a shock to some of you but 2020 was kind of a bummer

— tamar (@tsassizzle) December 31, 2020

Can’t stop thinking about that guy who moved from San Diego to Austin and was shocked his quality of life declined

— Matthew Zeitlin (@MattZeitlin) January 4, 2021

I got shocked by my phone charger cable last night & it sparked when I looked at it. The wiring is exposed & all that. It's probably time to retire that cord.

— Stray Adult™ (@StrayAdult) January 15, 2018

Try using shock!

True or False?

If something is a shock, it is unlikely to bother someone as they expected it to happen.