Word family noun shock shocker aftershock adjective shocked shocking shock shockproof verb shock adverb shockingly
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishshockshock1 /ʃɒk $ ʃɑːk/ ●●● S2 W2 noun 1 unexpected event/situation [countable usually singular]SHOCK if something that happens is a shock, you did not expect it, and it makes you feel very surprised, and usually upsetshock to The news of his death came as a great shock to everyone.it was a shock to find/discover etc that It was a real shock to hear that the factory would have to close.2 unexpected unpleasant feeling [singular, uncountable]SHOCK the feeling of surprise and disbelief you have when something very unexpected happens, especially something bad or frightening She was shaking with shock and humiliation.the shock of (doing) something Mom’s never really gotten over the shock of Dad’s death.3 medical [uncountable]MI a medical condition in which someone looks pale and their heart and lungs are not working correctly, usually after a sudden very unpleasant experience He was bleeding from the head and suffering from shock. He is clearly in a state of shock. The tanker driver was treated for shock and released.4 electricity [countable]HPE an electric shock5 vehicle [countable usually plural] a shock absorber 6 → shock of hair7 sudden change [countable] a sudden unexpected change which threatens the economic situation, way of life, or traditions of a group of people – used especially in news reports the oil shocks of the 1970s8 shaking [countable, uncountable]SHAKE violent shaking caused for example by an explosion or earthquake The shock was felt miles away. → shock wave, culture shock, shocked, shell shock, toxic shock syndromeCOLLOCATIONS – Meanings 1 & 2adjectivesa big/great shockIt was a great shock to find out he had been lying.a terrible/awful shockHer death was a terrible shock to everyone.a complete/total shockNo one expected the factory to close – it was a complete shock.a nasty shock especially British English (=one that is very unpleasant and upsetting)Come and sit down. You’ve had a nasty shock.a rude shock formal (=one that is unexpected and unpleasant but not serious)Shopping for food in Miyako brought a rude shock. The prices were breathtaking.verbsget/have a shockI got a shock when I saw how thin he had become.give somebody a shockOh, you gave me quite a shock.get over/recover from a shockHe hasn’t got over the shock of losing his job yet.die of shock informal (=be very surprised)I nearly died of shock when I saw Helen at the door. phrasescome as a shock (=be very unexpected)The collapse of the company came as a shock to us all.be a bit of a shock British English especially spoken (=be a shock, but not very serious or unpleasant)I wasn’t expecting to win, so it was a bit of a shock.be a shock to the system (=be strange because you are not used to something)Having to work full-time again was quite a shock to the system.be in for a shock (=be likely to have a shock)Anyone who thinks that bringing up children is easy is in for a shock.be in a state of shock (also be in deep shock) (=be very shocked and upset)Eva left the room in a state of shock.get the shock of your life (=get a very big shock)He got the shock of his life when he found out who I was. Examples from the Corpus
shock• "The bill came to £500." "That must have been a shock."• If the FBI thought they could outwit him, they were in for a shock.• Gary got a shock when his ex-girlfriend turned up on his doorstep.• It was impossible for any society to absorb without hardship a shock like that of the massive loss of trade to Gdynia.• It gave me a shock to realize that I had almost died.• It gave me a shock when I realized how close I had come to being killed.• Peterborough weathered the storm and could have taken a shock lead after 31 minutes.• She realised that the pain and shock of that loss had never truly healed.• It was a big shock to me how men in the mills got physically used up.• It was a big shock when Connie said she was leaving her husband.• Their children, however, were born into such a state of culture shock that they were afraid to budge.• Within several months of landing, the daily shock of frigid cold and oven heat will crack the brain chips into uselessness.• The teacher was then taken into another room and shown an apparatus which could deliver electric shocks to the learner.• Fellow students expressed shock and dismay over the racist incidents.• He realised with a faint shock that it was Lulu, much older but still beautiful.• Several passengers were taken to the hospital to be treated for shock.• Going on holiday with Ian had been a rude shock -- he'd been argumentative, mean and not at all what she'd expected.• We got a terrible shock when the police rang to say that they had arrested our daughter.• The shock of the explosion could be felt miles away.• We listened to the announcer with shock and disbelief -- another bomb had exploded in the city.it was a shock to find/discover etc that• Arthur is shocked to find that Adam loves Hetty.• I was shocked to discover that Cool Whip was a key ingredient.• I was shocked to find that such blatant disparity in benefits still existed.• It was a shock to discover that Peter was so different from the way she had imagined.• Middlesbrough woman Gwen Lamb was shocked to discover that anyone can offer residential accommodation to the most vulnerable in society.the shock of (doing) something• He looked tired, a little subdued, and suddenly she was stunned by an almost overwhelming shock of tenderness.• It was labelled as being able to give shocks of up to 450 volts.• The shock of the explosion rocked the helicopter.• The shock of this admission lies less in its content than in its timing.• It's thought he may have collapsed from the shock of the burglary.• He said he was the security guard, but he had the shock of his life when he saw me.• But he had also been through the great oil shock of 1973.• But the trouble with the shock of the new is that it quickly becomes the familiarity of the old.suffering from shock• She had spent the last ten days in bed, suffering from shock, the after-reaction fierce, frightening.• His wife was rescued uninjured but suffering from shock, and rescuers later recovered a human leg with a flipper attached.• Finally she asked to speak to Mr McGay the teacher who sent her home suffering from shock.• His pillion passenger is in hospital suffering from shock.• Leanne was also taken to hospital, suffering from shock, but was later released into police custody.• The driver was taken to hospital suffering from shock.• Now I think we're mainly suffering from shock.• At least 49 people were reported to have been hurt or were suffering from shock.shockshock2 ●●● S2 verb 1 [transitive]SURPRISED to make someone feel very surprised and upset, and unable to believe what has happened The hatred in her voice shocked him.shock somebody to hear/learn/discover etc that They had been shocked to hear that the hospital was closing down.it shocks somebody that/how/to do It shocked me to think how close we had come to being killed.shock somebody into (doing) something She was shocked into action by the desperate situation in the orphanages.2 [intransitive, transitive]OFFEND to make someone feel very offended, by talking or behaving in an immoral or socially unacceptable way He seems to enjoy shocking people. Just ignore the bad language – they only do it to shock. → shocked, shocking→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
shock• He also hurled other shocking words at the First Lady.• The change in the man was shocking.• Gorbachev looked shocked by my familiarity, then burst into laughter.• Many readers were shocked by the number of obscenities in the article.• I just felt I had to shock her into taking some action.• My father was shocked into silence.• What really shocked me was that no-one seemed to care about all the beggars.• The students were shocked that such a simple home could hide the people from the rain.• Apparently literature of this kind does not shock the officials of the Ministry of Information who are charged with censoring dangerous works.• Obviously, her suicide shocked the whole school.• You might be shocked to realize how much you spend in certain areas.• It shocked us to see how ill she looked.• The decision to drop the hit that has won 26 Emmy awards has shocked viewers.• All this may not shock you senseless.shock somebody into (doing) something• The gasps of shock built into a cacophony of questions.• When her red boots stepped on to the pavement the shock which smacked into her was conveniently attributed to the cold.• The tiny device shocks the heart into normal rhythm when it beats too fast.• Martinez apparently had shocked the students into reading the textbook before exams.• This would shock him into repentance so that he would be saved.• A full minute later the shock wave slams into the sea.shockshock3 adjective [only before noun] 1 SURPRISEDvery surprising – used especially in news reports England’s shock defeat by Luxembourg2 → shock tacticsExamples from the Corpus
shock• The chairman made a shock announcement that 500 employees would lose their jobs.• Then came Costin's shock confession after he had been named in the Raiders' side to play the following weekend.• Liverpool suffered a shock defeat at Halifax last night, beaten by five goals to nil.• Bucharest's political scientists are quick to argue that the shock poll result did not mean a majority wanted the dictator back.Origin shock1 1. French choc, from choquer “to strike against”2. (1800-1900) Perhaps from shock “bunch of cut wheat, corn, etc.” ((14-20 centuries)), or from shock “dog with long rough hair” ((17-19 centuries)) 