surfn.

Brit.

/səːf/, U.S.

/sərf/

Forms: 1600s surfe, 1600s– surf, 1700s surff.

Origin: Probably a variant or alteration of another lexical item. Etymon: suff n.

Etymology: Probably a variant or alteration of suff n., perhaps after surge n. (compare surge n. 2b). In branch II. after surf v. N.E.D. (1918) speculatively suggested a derivation < an Indic language, apparently on the basis of early uses in quot. 1685 at sense 1a (which was N.E.D.'s earliest evidence for the word) and quot. 1698 at sense 1b, which show an Indian geographical context. However, earlier quots. (1606, 1633 at sense 1a, 1633 at sense 1b) are in a South Pacific geographical context, and a plausible Indic etymon has not been proposed.

I. The swell of the sea, a wave, and related senses.

a. The swell of the sea as it breaks upon a shore (esp. a shallow shore), reef, etc.; spec. (in later use) breaking waves collectively, as ridden by surfers. Also in figurative contexts. In recent use usually with some implication of sense 2.

ΘΚΠ

the world > the earth > water > flow or flowing > wave > foam or surf > [noun] > surf

surf1606

seegea1609

snuffle1630

surf1633

1606 A. Craig Amorose Songes sig. Evi^v Heere springs the surfe of my ensuing smart; Yet play I pray the gentle Pyrats part.

1633 T. James Strange Voy. 37 Return to the shoare, we could not, by reason of the surfe.

1685 W. Hedges Diary 3 Feb. (1887) I. 182 [At Fort St George, Madras] This unhappy accident, together with y^e greatness of y^e Sea and Surf ashore, caused us to come aboard again.

1719 D. Defoe Life Robinson Crusoe 57 My Raft was now strong enough to bear any reasonable Weight; my next Care was..how to preserve what I laid upon it from the Surf of the Sea.

1745 P. Thomas True Jrnl. Voy. South-Seas 35 The Landing is bad by reason of pretty much Surf, and great Stones like Rocks.

1799 W. Hales Irish Pursuits of Lit. Advt. p. xv Experimental Statesmen..who long had piloted the entrusted vessel of the State through all the surf of Democracy, beating against the coral rocks of Aristocracy and the Reef of Royalty.

1836 W. Irving Astoria II. 100 Low bellowings..like the hoarse murmurs of the surf on a distant shore.

1886 J. Ruskin Præterita I. xi. 379 Half-a-mile of dangerous surf between the ship and the shore.

1887 Science 10 115 The remarkable boards of koa-wood,..standing on which they rode through the surf.

1906 M. Pemberton My Sword for Lafayette xxiv The distant thunder of the sea surf upon an angry shore.

1961 J. Heller Catch-22 xiv. 142 The surf was always small, the water clear and cool.

1998 J. Irving Widow for One Year 148 Listening to the crickets and the tree frogs and the distant percussion of the surf.

2003 K. Slater & J. Borte Pipe Dreams (2004) v. 124 My friends and I were the up-and-coming kids from Hawaii, and we were all riding big surf.

b. An instance or example of this; a swell, a surge.figurative in quot. 1698.

ΘΚΠ

the world > the earth > water > flow or flowing > wave > foam or surf > [noun] > surf

surf1606

seegea1609

snuffle1630

surf1633

1633 T. James Strange Voy. 49 There came in a great rowling Sea withall, about the point; accompanied with a great surfe on the shoare.

1698 J. Fryer New Acct. E.-India & Persia 14 A notable Fish..It might be in length forty Feet..bolting out of the Water with a great Surf.

1748 B. Robins & R. Walter Voy. round World by Anson ii. ii. 134 The wind..occasioned such a surf, that it was impossible for the boat to land.

1763 E. Thompson Temple of Venus i. 14 A dull promiscuous sound a-far..like..southern surffs upon an iron shore.

1803 W. Wittman Trav. in Turkey 3 A military artificer was unfortunately washed off the vessel by a surf.

1840 T. B. Macaulay Ld. Clive in Ess. ⁋8 Fort St. George had arisen on a barren spot beaten by a raging surf.

1879 A. R. Wallace's Australasia xvi. 303 The southern coast..is exposed to a heavy and dangerous surf, which rolls in upon the shore at all seasons.

1933 Mariner's Mirror 19 269 The Defence..proceeded to drag..the other bower rapidly towards a dead-lee shore with a heavy surf breaking.

2004 J. Sugden Nelson ii. xxvi. 753 Most of the beaches were black and broken and slippery underfoot and often guarded by a heavy surf.

a. The white foamy water produced by waves breaking upon a seashore, reef, etc.; a line or quantity of this formed along the edge of the sea.

ΘΚΠ

the world > the earth > water > flow or flowing > wave > foam or surf > [noun] > surf > line of

surf1757

surf line1841

line-up1963

1757 tr. J. G. Keyssler Trav. IV. 141 Salt..was not produced here as in other countries by a desication of the surf of the sea [L. non ut alias apud gentis eluvie maris arescente unda (Tacitus Annals 13.57)].

1785 W. Cowper Task vi. 155 Light as the foamy surf That the wind severs from the broken wave.

1832 Ld. Tennyson Dream Fair Women xiv, in Poems (new ed.) 125 White surf windscattered over sails and masts.

1882 ‘Ouida’ In Maremma I. 78 She played with the sails, with the surf, and with the crystals of the salt.

1900 J. Grinnell Birds of Kotzebue Sound Region 12 It [sc. a gull] was alone, nervously alighting and flying short distances along the surf.

1934 T. Wood Cobbers 219 A line of snowy surf.

1947 Life 17 Nov. 77/2 (caption) Brighton..[had become] a kind of Coney Island for middle classes who sat in the surf or lolled on the pebbly beach.

2009 Esquire Mar. 190/2 Silhouetted figures glided on right-breaking barrels, then flopped into the waves, vanishing into churning surf.

b. figurative and in figurative contexts.

ΚΠ

1847 H. W. Longfellow Evangeline ii. iii. 24 Just where the woodlands met the flowery surf of the prairie.

1873 J. R. Lowell Above & Below ii. i To behold The first long surf of climbing light Flood all the thirsty east with gold.

1920 S. Lewis Main St. xxiv. 300 She pictured herself looking at Emerson's manse, bathing in a surf of jade and ivory, wearing a trottoir and a summer fur.

1994 C. McWilliam Debatable Land (1995) vi. 128 A small island within the lagoon, a motu , seemed to rock also, like a tall green yacht with a surf of white sand at its base.

II. An act of surfing.

3. An act of swimming in the surf or (now usually) riding a surfboard; an act of surfing.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > water sports except racing > surfing > [noun]

surf swimming1829

surf-riding1854

surfing1896

surfboarding1903

surf1917

sport of kings1935

kitesurfing1995

society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > water sports except racing > swimming > [noun] > specific type

breaststroke1890

medley1913

surf1917

skinny-dip1947

skinny-dipping1947

shark-baiting1951

swim-in1960

synchro-swim1976

society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > water sports except racing > surfing > [noun] > actions of surfer

kick-out1801

ride1883

side-slip1913

surf1917

slide1935

pull-out1957

quasimodo1960

head dip1962

nose-riding1962

rolling1962

spinner1962

stalling1962

toes over1962

cutback1963

Eskimo roll1964

re-entry1968

right1968

rollercoaster1968

barrel roll1971

hold-down1982

railing1983

cross-stepping1990

cross-step1994

turtle roll2001

1917 ABC Pathfinder Railway Guide Mar. 7/1 To the beach for a surf and a sun bath.

1934 C. Mackness Young Beachcombers 46 Wish we had brought togs for a surf.

1967 D. Horne Educ. Young Donald 11 Then go for another stroll down to the beach, and another surf.

1971 Stud. in Eng. (Univ. Cape Town) 2 27 If a surfer is going out..just for a short while, probably to a local surf spot, he says ‘I'm going to catch a surf.’

1988 Offshore June 45/1 He thought that he might go for an early surf, so the alarm was set for another ridiculous hour.

2002 N.Y. Times (National ed.) 16 Oct. a11/1 Grab a board and go out for a surf.

Phrases

surf is (also was, etc.) up.

a. Indicating that the condition of the waves is currently suitable for surfing.

ΚΠ

1962 T. Masters Surfing made Easy 64 Glassy, smooth water, no wind, if the surf is up then the best of surfing conditions.

1986 Courier-Mail (Brisbane) (Nexis) 18 Sept. Voting is, at the very least, a boring waste of a Saturday morning—especially when the sun is out and the surf is up.

2000 S. Ingham in J. Adams et al. Girls' Night In 575 The waiter seemed so laid-back that his only worry could be whether the surf was up.

b. As int., esp. as surf's up, with implication that the opportunity to surf should not be missed. Also figurative.

ΚΠ

1963 Press-Telegram (Long Beach, Calif.) 4 July b9/2 The Monarchs are also a recording band, having cut ‘Surf's up’ and ‘My Babe’ on Dell Star Label.

1988 D. A. Wilson REMF Diary 23 He stood up lazily, said ‘Surf's up’, and strode lithely off.

1990 T. Robbins Skinny Legs & All 346 He/she yelled ‘Surf's up!’ and..did his/her toeless best to hang ten.

2011 Riverton (New S. Wales) Times (Nexis) 1 Sept. 2 (heading) Surf's up for lifesaving grants.

Compounds

C1.

(a) General attributive.

surf barrier n.

ΚΠ

1897 Amer. Naturalist 31 984 All of what Professor MacMillan terms surf-barrier formations are merely isolated facies and patches of certain water-plant formations.

1905 Condor 7 121 We made a trial of driving our boat through the lowest place in the surf-barrier.

2009 J. Hess Galápagos iv. 33/2 They [sc. marine iguanas] must pass through the surf barrier to feed.

surf beach n.

ΚΠ

1848 Daily National Intelligencer (Washington) 29 Sept. A low dry sand beach is interposed between high land and the surf beach along the shore.

1932 N. Palmer Talking it Over 137 Surf-beaches of any size are rare in the world.

2006 Courier-Mail (Brisbane) 22 July (Q weekend section) 43/1 What used to be coastal bush separating the resort from the surf beach.

surf billow n.

ΚΠ

1853 M. Howitt tr. F. Bremer Homes of New World I. ii. 12 I saw the surf billows, like some unknown, enormous sea-creatures, heave themselves, roaring at a distance around us.

1890 ‘R. Boldrewood’ Colonial Reformer (1891) 154 The deep-toned ceaseless roll of the surf-billows.

2003 E. Paquin Accumulus 44 I am not..one of those timely, silvery chimes bloom't rounder, rounder even than surf billows.

surf sound n.

ΚΠ

1799 S. J. Pratt Gleanings in Eng. xxii. 462 Listening to the surf-sound, the flap of the boat-sail, or the measured dash of the distant oar.

1887 E. R. Sill Poems 13 The air is full of the whispering pine, Surf-sound of an aerial sea.

2008 I. Doig Eleventh Man vii. 191 Two men and a dog, they stood there in the surf sound, its grave beat upon the shore.

surf-thunder n.

ΚΠ

1847 Daily Sentinel & Gaz. (Milwaukee, Wisconsin Territory) 24 Aug. A sound came over the sea that shook the Island as it never shook in the surf thunder.

1955 L. Durrell Let. in I. S. MacNiven Durrell-Miller Lett. (1988) 279 I still hear the surf-thunder of your prose in memory.

2000 W. Ashworth Great Lakes Journey (2003) vii. 293 The sound of their laughter lost in the cacophony of surfthunder.

(b) Locative.

surf fish v.

ΚΠ

1900 Outing Jan. 394/2 If he intends..to surf-fish for the channel bass, it would be well for him to outfit at home.

1979 ‘A. Blaisdell’ No Villain need Be vii. 120 They like to surf-fish, and they claim rain..drives 'em in toward the beach.

2010 Lowell (Mass.) Sun (Nexis) 19 Sept. Maybe we will once again have a beach from which to surf fish!

surf fisherman n.

ΚΠ

1892 Amer. Angler May 350/2 Were we ever justified in yielding to this tabooed weakness [sc. bad temper], the surf fisherman should receive absolution for his sin.

1967 O. E. Middleton in Coast to Coast 1965–6 123 The surf-fishermen leaned out over the shallows.

2009 D. Owen Shark i. 21 There was a time when Durban surf fishermen paid surfers to..drop the baited hook into what was, literally, shark-infested water.

surf fishing n.

ΚΠ

1876 J. J. Brown Amer. Angler's Guide (ed. 5) Index 427/2 Rod for surf-fishing for basse.

1949 S. K. Farrington Fishing the Atlantic iv. 82 Surf fishing at Narragansett should be a revelation.

2002 Sport Fishing June 38/1 In conventional (revolving-spool) reels, prime applications include bottomfishing and surf fishing.

† surf-sunk adj. Obsolete

ΚΠ

1828 T. Campbell Death-boat of Heligoland 22 Now surf-sunk for minutes, again they uptossed.

(c) Instrumental.

surf-battered adj.

ΚΠ

1900 F. A. Ober Storied W. Indies xviii. 241 I had to land upon a surf-battered shore at the imminent risk of my life.

1994 N.Y. Rev. Bks. 3 Feb. 32/2 Northern Australia's red-rock and surf-battered shores.

surf-beaten adj.

ΚΠ

1786 R. Cumberland Observer II. xxxviii. 92 The aged suitor turns his trembling steps To the surf-beaten shore.

1803 T. Campbell Poems 6 Like ocean-weeds heap'd on the surf-beaten shore.

1992 Calgary (Alberta) Herald (Nexis) 24 Nov. c3 A male figure..writhes seductively in moonlight on a surf-beaten beach.

surf-bound adj.

ΚΠ

1797 Parnassian Garland 103 Thy lustre first illumes Surf-bound groves, and marbled tombs.

1884 19th Cent. Feb. 239 The noisy tumult of a surf-bound shore.

2007 R. O. Collins & J. M. Burns Hist. Sub-Saharan Afr. i. 17 The coast curls around the protrusion of West Africa along its surf-bound shore to the Niger Delta.

surf-showered adj.

ΚΠ

1883 Cent. Mag. Sept. 732/1 The survivors sink to safer depths or settle on some public and preëmpted homestead among the surf-showered rocks.

surf-tormented adj.

ΚΠ

1829 E. A. Poe Dream within a Dream ii I stand amid the roar Of a surf-tormented shore.

2006 G. Grendstad et al. Unique Environmentalism iii. vii. 106 Between the mountains of the land and the long surf-tormented shoreline.

surf-vexed adj.

ΚΠ

1852 G. C. Mundy Our Antipodes II. i. 12 Green turfy knolls sloping abruptly to the surf-vexed beach.

1914 H. M. Vaughan Australasian Wander-year i. 14 Breezy Mount Lavinia, overlooking the surf-vexed shore.

surf-washed adj.

ΚΠ

1832 S. Roper Sketches Birds 29 The surf-washed caves of the Indian sea Might, surely, be deem'd a safe refuge for me.

1861 L. L. Noble After Icebergs 180 The bleak, surf-washed rocks.

2010 D. L. Wilson Raven Speak 99 She held her head tilted..much like a gull targeting a surf-washed tidbit.

surf-wasted adj.

ΚΠ

1854 H. Miller My Schools & Schoolmasters xxiv. 509 The picturesque surf-wasted stacks of the granitic wall of rock.

2003 P. Hayden Last Wave ii. 31 ‘You comin' up the shops?’..meant a beeline to the Manly Pie Shop or Henry's or wherever, to gorge our little surf-wasted bodies.

surf-worn adj.

ΚΠ

1798 N. Drake Literary Hours 402 Each surf-worn cave.

1878 A. Geikie Geol. Sketches (1882) ii. 34 Weather-beaten or surf-worn sheets of rock.

1999 P. D. Campbell Survival Skills Native Calif. i. 92/2 Large numbers of surf-worn basalt boulders of different sizes.

(d) Similative.

surf white adj.

ΚΠ

1833 A. Domett Poems 139 A thousand breakers..boil and hiss, and raise on high Their surf-white heads.

1897 M. Kingsley Trav. W. Afr. 391 The young women..with their soft dusky skins,..pretty brown eyes, and surf-white teeth.

2007 L. Anthony & G. Spence Babylon's Ark (2008) ix. 139 Her feathers, once surf white, were now sickly gray.

b. With the sense ‘of or relating to surfing’, as surf contest, surf lesson, surf school, etc.

ΚΠ

1938 Vidette-Messenger (Valparaiso, Indiana) 16 May 4/5 (heading) Australia to enter Hawaiian surf contests.

1967 J. Severson Great Surfing Gloss. Mysterioso, an ‘adornment’ or surf trick popular in the late fifties.

1985 Sunday Mail (Queensland) (Nexis) 12 May I am running my private swimming classes, have a surf school, have just finished another book on swimming and will be getting married soon.

1987 K. Lette Girls' Night Out (1989) 16 Julia scored you the journo's job as surf reporter.

1993 Orange County (Calif.) Reg. (Nexis) 18 Nov. b6 It may sound far-fetched to think that anyone living on a tiny Pacific island would need surf lessons.

1997 GQ Sept. 270/1 Hamilton guests in surf movies such as Endless Summer II.

2011 Church Times 15 July 12/5 Giving surfing a go is easy. Search the internet for surf schools—they are a good place to start, as you will pick up the right habits and techniques.

c. With the sense ‘characteristic of surf music’, as surf guitar, surf harmony, surf pop, etc. Cf. surf music n. at Compounds 2a, surf punk n. at Compounds 2a.

ΚΠ

1963 Charleston (W. Virginia) Daily Mail 30 Mar. 7/6 The tidal wave that is sweeping the fad inland is the ‘surf beat’ of the latest, hottest rock 'n' roll records.

1963 D. Dale (title of album) King of the surf guitar.

1985 Spin Oct. 39/3 Dee Dee's ‘ahh, naa naa naa’ surf harmonies.

1997 A. Blake Land without Music iii. 126 Brian Wilson, who invented the aural Californication of ‘surf pop’ with the Beach Boys.

2007 Vanity Fair Feb. 108/2 Freedom's Road harnesses the infectious reverb-heavy surf guitar and psychedelic rock that came out of California in the 1960s.

C2.

surf bathe v. now somewhat archaic (a) intransitive to swim in surf; (b) intransitive = surf v. 2a.

ΚΠ

1851 ‘Joseph’ N.-Y. Aristocracy xii. 147 Drinking Congress water at crowded hotels, or surf-bathing at sandy seaports.

1940 V. Brittain Test. of Friendship xii. 192 You'll look at the Rhodes Memorial and the Union Buildings..; you'll..surf-bathe at Durban.., and then you'll begin to think you know everything.

2008 L. Chase Surfing Women of Waves 40 Perhaps, as Twain remarked, no one can surf bathe as well as the natives, but [Ethel] Kukea..came close.

surf-bather n. now somewhat archaic (a) a person who swims in surf; (b) = surfer n. 1a.

ΚΠ

1848 Boston Daily Atlas 25 Aug. 1/3 The surf-bathers were glorying in the anticipation of a heavy-rolling surf.

1893 K. Sanborn Truthful Woman S. Calif. 163 Surf bathers go in every month of the year.

2001 L. Huntsman Sand in our Souls (2004) v. 73 The surf-bathers were described as ‘young Greek gods’, and the healthful effects of surfing eulogised.

surf-bathing n. now somewhat archaic (a) the action or pastime of swimming in surf; (b) = surfing n. 2a.

ΚΠ

1830 J. F. Watson Ann. Philadelphia 700 They had no surf there and were content to bathe in a kind of waterhouse, covered; even Bingham's great house..indulged no idea of surf-bathing.

1872 ‘M. Twain’ Roughing It lxxiii. 526 The national pastime of surf-bathing.

1912 Truth (Sydney) 18 Feb. 8/3 I think respectable people may go surf-bathing and, still remain respectable, but people who aren't moral and respectable do not become so by shooting the breakers.

2005 D. C. Tripp Season of Open Water iii. 195 It is a summer of long steamy days and clear cool nights for surf-bathing, boat trips, angling off the angler stands.

surf boat n. a boat specially designed for use in heavy surf, and typically employed for landing passengers and goods from a larger craft lying offshore, or (now usually) for lifesaving.

ΘΚΠ

society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > boat attendant on larger vessel > [noun] > boat plying between ship shore > constructed to pass through surf

masula1675

surf boat1789

Monomoy1908

1789 Eng. Rev. July 47 The communication with the shore is managed by surf-boats, expressly calculated for the purpose.

1856 C. Dickens & W. Collins Wreck Golden Mary (1898) 22 I gave..the word to lower the Long-boat and the Surf-boat.

1949 M. Steen Twilight on Floods ii. i. 181 The boys who take the surf boats between the ships and the shore.

2009 Gold Coast Bull. (Austral.) (Nexis) 14 Dec. 8 A 13-year-old Brisbane girl..had to be given oxygen after a dramatic rescue in a surf boat.

surf boatman n. now chiefly historical a member of the crew of a surf boat; a person skilled at managing a boat in heavy surf.

ΘΚΠ

society > travel > travel by water > one who travels by water or sea > sailor > types of sailor > [noun] > sailor on other types of craft

brigantiner1555

gondolier1603

collier1716

Greenlandman?1785

junkman1795

surfman1816

Whitehaller1824

gig1833

yawler1833

coracler1834

keel-boatman1839

square-rigger1855

surf boatman1856

skiffman1868

flatman1883

yawlsman1885

packet rat1887

hookerman1894

scooterist1919

launchman1924

sampan-wallah1932

tanker man1932

hydrocyclist-

1856 C. Nordhoff Whaling & Fishing xvii. 315 I dare say the surf-boatmen did not spare their maledictions at our carelessness.

1880 Scribner's Monthly Jan. 323 It is an erroneous notion that the experience of the sailor qualifies him for a surf-boatman.

2008 V. R. Field Mayday! 37 By this time there were numbers of local people on the beach, many of them knowledgeable surf boatmen.

surf break n. Surfing an area of coastline where waves regularly break in a manner suitable for surfing.

ΚΠ

1976 Alaska Nat. Gas Transportation Syst.: Alternatives (U.S. Dept. Interior) 550 A surf break with waves whose potential to size, quality and frequency in relation to other surf spots makes it a unique surfing resource.

1991 Orange County (Calif.) Reg. 28 May f3/2 The surfers found mediocre waves when they reached the surfbreaks.

2009 New Yorker 6 Apr. 35/1 He..got up at 4:30 a.m. to hit his favorite surf break.

surf-bum n. [ < surf n. + bum n.⁶] slang (originally U.S.) a surfing enthusiast; a person who habitually spends time surfing, or participating in surf culture.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > water sports except racing > surfing > [noun] > surfer > specific types

rider1914

surf-bum1957

big kahuna1959

gremlin1961

hot dogger1961

kook1961

goofy foot1962

hodad1962

surfie1962

goofy footer1963

natural1965

goofy surfer1968

switchfoot1970

boogie boarder1979

grummet1986

waxhead1987

grom1988

wakeboarder1994

kitesurfer1995

1957 N.Y. Times Bk. Rev. 10 Nov. 41/3 ‘Gidget’ is a pleasant novel about a nice—for a change—teen-age girl and the summer she spent with a bunch of surf bums—i.e., young men who spend from twelve to fourteen hours a day riding surf boards.

1971 Times 9 Aug. 5/1 The surf-bums have a language all their own; they talk about pipelines, green rooms, roller-coasters.

1996 G. Ward Hawaii: Rough Guide ii. vii. 420 An appealing mixture of laid-back old-timers, spaced-out New Age incomers and hyperactive surf-bums.

surf-cast v. intransitive to fish by casting a line into the sea from the shore.

ΘΚΠ

the world > food and drink > hunting > fishing > type or method of fishing > [verb (intransitive)] > fish in sea > from shore

surf-cast1926

1926 Davenport (Iowa) Democrat & Leader 21 Nov. 1/8 The defendant was surf casting on the beach at Lavallette the night Mrs. Eleanor R. Mills was slain.

1975 Country Life 16 Jan. 131/2 Surf-cast for corvina..on a California beach and you will probably have to show your California fishing licence.

2003 AMC Outdoors Mag. Oct. 88/2 You can watch anglers surf-cast for striped bass and bluefish.

surfcaster n. a person who fishes by casting a line into the sea from the shore.

ΘΚΠ

the world > food and drink > hunting > fishing > fisher > [noun] > sea-fisher

sea-fisherman1865

sea-angler1893

sea-fisher1893

surfcaster1897

rockhopper1917

salt-chucker1958

1897 National Mag. Jan. 335/1 Most of the fishermen were good surf casters, but none were like Margot.

1968 ‘S. Jay’ Sleepers can Kill xxiv. 248 When you've walked through to the beach, you'll see a surfcaster, fishing by himself.

2001 N.Y. Times (National ed.) 16 Dec. viii. 10/2 While the surfcasters were able to reach the fish, high winds and heavy seas kept most of the boats and flyrodders off the water until two weeks ago.

surf-casting n. the action or practice of fishing by casting a line into the sea from the shore.

ΘΚΠ

the world > food and drink > hunting > fishing > type or method of fishing > [noun] > sea-fishing > from shore

shore fishery1767

shore-fishing1865

surf-casting1894

1894 W. D. Boyce & F. E. Pond Strike 48 Trolling and surf-casting are the methods employed by most anglers in striped bass fishing.

1928 N.Y. Times 8 Oct. 21/4 Charles Vollum of Philadelphia became surf casting champion of the United States today at the annual tournament of the Dover Fishing Club of Philadelphia.

2009 J. Loomis Mating Season xvi. 212 A few early tourists had parked their RVs..intending to do a bit of surf-casting at land's end.

surf club n. (a) a club associated with the beach or beach-related activities, esp. (in later use) surfing; (b) Australian and New Zealand an organization of lifeguards who patrol a particular beach; cf. surf lifesaving n.In quot. 1878 the reason for the name is unclear.

ΚΠ

1878 M. G. Fetherstonhaugh Kingsdene I. viii. 147 The careless comment which falls on Gordon Leslie's ear as, an hour later, he enters the Surf Club.

1907 Sydney Morning Herald 18 July 11/8 A resolution was carried with much enthusiasm, creating ‘The Manly Surf Club’. The objects of the club are to organise the surf-bathers,..and to devise a means of rendering surf-bathing safer.

1965 Ebony Apr. 111/1 A member of the Bay Area Surf Club, Frank is secretary of the group composed of some 30 teen-agers.

2003 H. Torrens Paraffin Chron. 39 The wild bunch at Wind-an-Sea decided they wanted to surf in the first-ever club contest at Malibu... So, they formed a surf club on the spot.

2007 A. C. Verge Santa Monica Lifeguards v. 100 (caption) Lifeguard Terry Palma leads a winter training session for members of the Santa Monica Junior Lifeguard team that competed against various surf clubs in New Zealand in 1973.

surf culture n. the subculture associated with surfing and surfers; esp. the language, fashion, music, etc., characteristic of the surfing lifestyle.

ΚΠ

1966 H. Williams All Time in World v. 212 This is the walking-ground of the whole surf culture.

1987 N.Y. Times 21 Oct. c1/2 The interest in surf culture has, paradoxically, stirred up bad feelings and split the world of surfers into factions.

2011 D. Hamilton Damage Control i. 9 I..refused to go west of La Cienega, and sneered with art-school disdain at the hedonism of surf culture.

surf day n. a day on which the surf is especially rough; spec. one on which it is difficult or impossible to load or land cargo at a port.

ΘΚΠ

the world > the earth > water > flow or flowing > wave > foam or surf > [noun] > surf > day marked by rough surf

surf day1854

1854 G. W. Peck Melbourne & Chincha Islands 187 Often when the mornings are still, and the surface of the sea undisturbed by a ripple, the surf will be rolling tremendously on the narrow beaches... These are called ‘surf-days’, and special allowance is made for them in the charter parties of vessels loading at the islands.

1950 J. S. Learmont Master in Sail 60 Surf days did not count as working days. These surf days are peculiar to the northern part of the coast of Chile.

2001 J. Bennett After Battersea Park i. 129 He predicted the surf days ahead of time, knew the sea, reefs, swells, tides and currents better than anyone.

surf leash n. a leash attached to the tail of a surfboard and fastened around the surfer’s ankle to prevent the board being washed away if he or she falls off.

ΚΠ

1971 Anderson (Indiana) Sunday Herald 7 Nov. 7/2 (caption) A wetsuited surfer..clutches his surf leash as he heads towards the beach.

2013 B. Marcus 365 Surfboards 100 A time before surf leashes, when a mistake meant a long swim and possibly a lost surfboard.

surf lifesaver n. chiefly Australian and New Zealand a lifeguard specially trained to carry out rescues in heavy surf; (now esp.) a member of a surf lifesaving club (see surf lifesaving n.).

ΚΠ

1922 Boston Sunday Globe 4 Sept. 4/5 (headline) Surf life-savers carnival feature.

1977 N.Z. Herald 8 Jan. i. 6/4 I have been talking to the wife of a surf lifesaver, and she spoke of the apparent indifference people show on being saved from drowning.

2002 Independent 21 Mar. 1/4 Surf lifesavers, the bronzed young men who epitomise Australia's beach macho culture, were forced to abandon their national competition yesterday after a pack of sharks sent them fleeing to dry land.

surf lifesaving n. chiefly Australian and New Zealand the action or process of saving a person from drowning in the surf; the skills and activities of a surf lifesaver; chiefly attributive.Frequently with reference to the activities of volunteer lifesaving organizations such as Surf Life Saving Australia, members of which patrol beaches acting as lifeguards and also take part in competitive demonstrations of lifesaving skills.

ΚΠ

1878 Newcastle Courant 6 Sept. 5/1 Chief amongst those [experiments] exhibited were a buoy..and a surf life-saving apparatus.

1907 Sydney Morning Herald 7 Oct. 11/4 Coogee surf life-saving brigade.

1968 W. Warwick Surfriding in N.Z. 1 It is difficult to imagine how closely it was once associated with the surf lifesaving movement.

1998 Traveller Mag. 28 Feb. 43/4 Australia has named its team for the upcoming surf lifesaving championships in South Africa.

surfman n. U.S. (now chiefly historical) a member of the crew of a surf boat; a lifeboatman.

ΘΚΠ

society > travel > travel by water > one who travels by water or sea > sailor > types of sailor > [noun] > sailor on other types of craft

brigantiner1555

gondolier1603

collier1716

Greenlandman?1785

junkman1795

surfman1816

Whitehaller1824

gig1833

yawler1833

coracler1834

keel-boatman1839

square-rigger1855

surf boatman1856

skiffman1868

flatman1883

yawlsman1885

packet rat1887

hookerman1894

scooterist1919

launchman1924

sampan-wallah1932

tanker man1932

hydrocyclist-

1816 Maryland Gaz. 11 Jan. 3/4 Being high water, the most experienced surf-men thought it imprudent to make an attempt [at rescue].

1903 N.Y. Tribune 4 Oct. The surfmen rowed ashore, and the bathing season was at an end.

2002 Chesapeake Life Aug. 94/2 Okonowicz will tell tall tales with the help of period-costumed surfmen, what lifesavers used to be called.

surfmanship n. skill in sailing, swimming, surfing, etc., in heavy surf; spec. (U.S., now chiefly historical) the ability skilfully to operate a surf boat (cf. surfman n.).

ΚΠ

1880 Scribner's Monthly Jan. 334 Until 1871..surfmanship was not a standard of qualification.

1921 Brownsville (Texas) Herald 2 Apr. 1/2 The official report on the incident says of the four men that their ‘superb surfmanship..overcame well-nigh insuperable obstacles’.

1993 Sun Herald (Sydney) (Nexis) 19 Dec. 56 If a big surf does roll in, then it will really get down to the competitor with the best surfmanship.

2000 D. L. Noble Lifeboat Sailors i. 16 The crew..knew they needed the same skills in surfmanship that the other two boats had displayed just to survive.

surf mat n. = surf mattress n.

ΚΠ

1924 Galveston (Texas) Daily News 6 Mar. 7/6 Currey was in the water swimming toward the two bathers and dragging behind him a surf mat.

1949 Toodyay (W. Austral.) Herald 3 Nov. (caption) Now that supplies are really plentiful again, rubber surf mats will be the rage again on beaches this summer.

2010 M. Warshaw Hist. Surfing 268/1 In 1973..he introduced the Morey Boogie;..sort of a cross between the bellyboard and the inflatable surf mat.

surf mattress n. an inflatable rubber or plastic mattress used for surfing.

ΚΠ

1916 Lowell (Mass.) Sun 3 Feb. 5/3 [He] was about to enter the surf with his inflated ‘surf’ mattress.

1942 Morning Bull. (Rockhampton, Queensland) 27 July 3/4 Rubber to make almost 1300 new tyres for Beaufort bombers was collected... Babies' dummies, rubber surf mattresses,..rubber gloves, [etc.],..all came to light.

2010 Advertiser (Adelaide) (Nexis) 16 Jan. 68 Your platform of delight was a small, surf mattress. Still you caught a wave or two and the bigger ones surprised you.

surf music n. a style of popular music originating in southern California in the early 1960s, associated with surfing and surf culture; spec. (a) a style of instrumental rock music characterized by distinctive guitar effects; (b) a style of pop music characterized by high vocal harmonies and lyrics about surfing.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > the arts > music > type of music > pop music > [noun] > other pop music

a cappella1905

soundclash1925

marabi1933

doo-wop1958

filk1959

folk-rock1963

Liverpool sound1963

Mersey beat1963

Mersey sound1963

surf music1963

malombo1964

mbaqanga1964

easy listening1965

disco music1966

Motown1966

boogaloo1967

power pop1967

psychedelia1967

yé-yé1967

agitpop1968

bubblegum1968

Tamla Motown1968

Tex-Mex1968

downtempo1969

taarab1969

thrash1969

world music1969

funk1970

MOR1970

tropicalism1970

Afrobeat1971

electro-pop1971

post-rock1971

techno-pop1971

Tropicalia1971

tropicalismo1971

disco1972

Krautrock1972

schlager1973

Afropop1974

punk funk1974

disco funk1975

Europop1976

mgqashiyo1976

P-funk1976

funkadelia1977

karaoke music1977

alternative music1978

hardcore1978

psychobilly1978

punkabilly1978

R&B1978

cowpunk1979

dangdut1979

hip-hop1979

Northern Soul1979

rap1979

rapping1979

jit1980

trance1980

benga1981

New Romanticism1981

post-punk1981

rap music1981

scratch1982

scratch-music1982

synth-pop1982

electro1983

garage1983

Latin1983

Philly1983

New Age1984

New Age music1985

ambient1986

Britpop1986

gangster rap1986

house1986

house music1986

mbalax1986

rai1986

trot1986

zouk1986

bhangra1987

garage1987

hip-house1987

new school1987

old school1987

thrashcore1987

acid1988

acid house1988

acid jazz1988

ambience1988

Cantopop1988

dance1988

deep house1988

industrial1988

swingbeat1988

techno1988

dream pop1989

gangsta rap1989

multiculti1989

new jack swing1989

noise-pop1989

rave1989

Tejano1989

breakbeat1990

chill-out music1990

indie1990

new jack1990

new jill swing1990

noisecore1990

baggy1991

drum and bass1991

gangsta1991

handbag house1991

hip-pop1991

loungecore1991

psychedelic trance1991

shoegazing1991

slowcore1991

techno-house1991

gabba1992

jungle1992

sadcore1992

UK garage1992

darkcore1993

dark side1993

electronica1993

G-funk1993

sampladelia1994

trip hop1994

break1996

psy-trance1996

nu skool1997

folktronica1999

dubstep2002

Bongo Flava2003

grime2003

Bongo2004

singeli2015

1963 Star-News (Pasadena, Calif.) 8 May 11/3 (advt.) All Valley Teen Dance..Surf music. Adult Supervision. Dress in Good Taste.

1977 Sounds 9 July 28/2 The Turtles started out playing surf music at High School hops in LA.

1999 New Yorker 20 Sept. 24/1 These space-age stowaways from Alabama play lo-fi surf music punctuated with sci-fi samples from the fifties.

surf punk n. (a) a person affiliated with surf culture, esp. a surfer who holds attitudes associated with punk rock; (b) a genre of punk rock influenced by surf music.

ΚΠ

1979 (album title) Surf punks.

1980 L. Bangs Notes on Austin in L. Bangs & J. Morthland Mainlines, Blood Feasts, Bad Taste (2003) 310 Their thing is surf punks. Dick Dale and ‘Telstar’ and alien beach parties and rantin' 'n' ravin' about whoever double-crossed you this time.

1980 Billboard 15 Nov. ii. 32/3 There are soul bands, rockabilly-country bands, blues bands, electronic experimenters, surf punk, punk rock bands. You name it.

1991 New Yorker 11 Mar. 10/1 Home to an enlightened mixture of garage-rock, rockabilly, surf-punk, and psychedelic-rock bands.

2001 N.Y. Times Mag. 23 Sept. ii. 108/3 Balthazar may look like a California surf punk, with sandy brown curly hair, perma-smirk and ‘whatever’ attitude, but he has the wisdom, the world-weariness, of a blue-blooded Getty.

2006 Time Out N.Y. 20 Apr. 137/1 Toubab Krewe..joins in all the twanging with a griotified version of what might otherwise be generic, post-Grateful Dead surf-punk.

surf rack n. (a) a roof rack designed for carrying one or more surfboards; (b) a rack for storing surfboards.

ΚΠ

1964 Independent Press-Telegram (Long Beach, Calif.) 19 July (advt.) 9′ 6″ Hobie Surfboard and custom surf rack.

1982 United Press Internat. (Nexis) 24 Nov. The main Waikiki thoroughfare..remained flooded and littered with debris... Along the beach, surf racks and paddle boats were strewn about in haphazard fashion.

2000 L. Lueras & L. Lueras Surfing Hawaii 124 My early morning adventures would usually begin with the unlocking of my 9′ 6″ Hobie from the surf rack next to the Reef Hotel.

2009 D. Winslow Gentlemen's Hour 56 The locals know each other's rides, and if a strange car with a surf rack is parked there, that vehicle and its driver could have a problem.

surf rat n. Surfing slang a (young) surfer.

ΚΠ

1909 Sydney Sportsman 3 Feb. 5/3 Some of the surf rats followed his [sc. a shark's] course along a good length of the beach.

2002 T. Pinchuck et al. Rough Guide S. Afr. (ed. 3) 365 In the surfing pecking order, the rising stars are ‘grommets’ or ‘surf rats’, 16- or 17-year-olds who challenge the ‘old bullets’—the 20- or 30-somethings whom they consider to be over the hill.

surf report n. a report of current surfing conditions delivered via radio, the internet, etc.

ΚΠ

1969 Corpus Christi (Texas) Times 27 June 6 b/1 (advt.) Listen to the surf report on KEYS, 1440.

2011 K. Grange Beneath Blossom Rain 324 I didn't even have to look at the surf report to know waves would be windblown and terrible.

surf safari n. = surfari n.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > water sports except racing > surfing > [adjective] > journey made by surfers

surfing safari1962

surf safari1962

surfari1963

1959 Pasadena (Calif.) Independent 30 Apr. 24/1 The film ‘Surf Safari’ will be shown Saturday..at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.]

1962 Austral. Women's Weekly 24 Oct. (Suppl.) 3/4 Surf safari, a trip around different beaches to find a good surf.

2010 D. Helvarg Saved by Sea iv. 79 My first Salvador surf safari was a Sunday excursion south of La Libertad to the beach at La Zunganera.

surf shop n. originally U.S. a shop which sells clothing and equipment for the beach; (in later use) spec. a shop which sells surfing equipment, clothing, etc.

ΚΠ

1918 Boston Sunday Globe 23 June 12/2 (advt.) The realistic stage setting of ocean and beach in our surf shop.

1967 N.Y. Times Mag. 16 July 15/2 He heard the call of the surf, quit his job, divorced his wife and went off to Hawaii. When he came back, he opened a surf shop at Cocoa Beach.

2010 P. Jarratt Salts & Suits vii. 96 By 1968 there were surf shops all around the Australian coast, even in places where there was little or no prospect of surfing.

surf shorts n. originally U.S. shorts designed to be worn at the beach; swimming trunks; (in later use) spec. = board shorts n. at board n. Additions.

ΚΠ

1947 Syracuse (N.Y.) Herald-Jrnl. 8 June 9/1 (advt.) Surf shorts to match the gay checked beach coats make the best looking outfits on the beach.

1989 Observer 25 June 35/1 Children's, women's and menswear departments in most large stores now sell jams (neon-patterned surf shorts).

2002 C. Hiaasen Basket Case xx. 184 He's wearing Oakley cutaways, baggy surf shorts and an oversized Ken Griffey Jr. jersey.

surf ski n. originally Australian a type of long, narrow, lightweight kayak designed for travelling through surf at speed.

ΚΠ

1933 Sydney Morning Herald 6 Sept. 17/5 Mr. R. Michaelis invited the gear committee to visit Cronulla and inspect a ‘surf-ski’, which..seemed to possess great possibilities for life saving purposes.

1958 Life 21 Apr. 66/3 Shooting into the surf.., racing teams on surf skis dig in with double-bladed paddles.

1985 Courier-Mail (Brisbane) (Nexis) 21 Jan. MacDonald..demonstrated why he is also considered one of the finest surf ski paddlers in the world when he won the surf ski race.

2012 K. Howells Gratitude in Educ. vi. 90 He would start his day at dawn and paddle out on his surf ski with a few mates.

surf skiing n. originally Australian the action or sport of paddling a surf ski.

ΚΠ

1936 Queenslander 31 Dec. 25/2 (caption) Although the thrills of surf-skiing were missing, this youth was evidently enjoying himself in this mountain pool.

1951 Times 7 Dec. 6/7 (headline) Surf skiing champion killed by shark.

2006 F. McIntosh & T. Richman Don't climb Kilimanjaro 42 Surf skiing is a great fitness alternative to gym or jogging because it gets you onto the ocean and away from it all.

surf-speak n. the language or jargon used by or associated with surfers; = surf talk n.

ΚΠ

1986 Glenn Falls (N.Y.) Post Star 10 Oct. 4/5 Spicoli says, in his most eloquent surf-speak, ‘Oh, I get it. Our forefathers left their homelands because the laws there were bogus.’

2010 S. Casey Wave 95 A pack of kids trailed after him. In surf-speak these skinny, mop-haired urchins of the waves are known as grommets, or groms for short.

surf spot n. Surfing an area of coastline where waves regularly break in a manner suitable for surfing.

ΚΠ

1960 Surfer Contents Surfing map... A guide to Southern California surf spots.

1998 Business Wire (Nexis) 1 Apr. A famous big-wave surf spot off the Half Moon Bay south of San Francisco.

2008 B. Marcus Extreme Surf 62 Pipeline was first surfed in 1961..and for most of the last four decades it was regarded as the most dangerous, challenging surf spot in the world.

surf swimmer n. (in early use) = surfer n. 1a (now rare); (later more generally) a person skilled at swimming in rough surf.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > water sports except racing > surfing > [noun] > surfer

surf swimmera1829

surf-rider1851

surfer1907

surfboarder1909

a1829 I. Taylor Ship (1830) Index 173/2 Surf Swimmers.

1845 P. H. Gosse Ocean (1849) vi. 283 The cry of ‘A Shark!’ among the surf swimmers will instantly set them in the utmost terror.

1925 Science 20 Feb. 207/2 The idea of a..dangerous seaward undertow comes more from the excited imagination of unpracticed bathers than from the deliberate observation of good surf swimmers.

2010 Post & Courier (Charleston, S. Carolina) (Nexis) 24 July b2 Only experienced surf swimmers who know how to escape a rip current should enter the water.

surf swimming n. (in early use) = surfing n. 2a; (later more generally) the action or practice of swimming in surf.

ΘΚΠ

society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > water sports except racing > surfing > [noun]

surf swimming1829

surf-riding1854

surfing1896

surfboarding1903

surf1917

sport of kings1935

kitesurfing1995

1829 W. Ellis Polynesian Res. I. xi. 307 Besides the faahee, or surf-swimming, in which the adults principally engaged, there were a number of aquatic pastimes peculiar to the children.

1908 B. Thomson Fijians xxv. 316 No swimming-board or float is ever used..in surf swimming, except by children in their play.

2010 Newcastle (Austral.) Herald (Nexis) 24 June 30 While surf swimming was his forte, he started in still water when he won the Australian junior 110-yard championship as a 15-year-old.

surf talk n. the language or jargon used by or associated with surfers; = surf-speak n.

ΚΠ

1963 Ogden (Utah) Standard Examiner 17 July 12 b (advt.) Get your free surfer's dictionary. Lists definitions of surfing terms the ‘In-Group’ uses..so you'll speak Surf-Talk correctly.

2008 G. Kelly Green Room II 271 Rick left a message on Kyle's web site, ‘Cya on the lip’ (surf talk for the lip of a wave).

surf wax n. wax applied to the deck of a surfboard to provide traction.

ΚΠ

1965 Corpus Christi (Texas) Caller-Times 25 Apr. 18/2 (list) Custom made surf boards, surf wax, Rincon & Aloha car racks, [etc.].

2009 A. Waeschle Chasing Waves 124 I tried to savour every wave, every sigh of contentment, every scent of the sea mixed with sunscreen and surf wax.

surf zone n. the area of water lying between the shore and the surf line, characterized by white foamy water produced by breaking waves; cf. sense 2a.

ΚΠ

1878 tr. C. B. Klunzinger Upper Egypt vi. 364 On the accessible portion of the surf zone [Ger. Brandungszone] the madrepore coral has become the prevailing coral.

1966 Redlands (Calif.) Daily Facts 20 Jan. 10/8 They [sc. gray whales] travel fairly close to shore, often within a few hundred yards or even into the surf zone.

2008 E. H. Schumann Patterns of Change vii. 76 He could see the moon lighting up the small white breakers in the surf zone of Algoa Bay.

b. In the names of plants and animals, esp. birds and fishes.

surfbird n. a small sandpiper, Aphriza virgata (family Scolopacidae), with dark upperparts and white underparts, breeding in the tundra of north-western North America.

ΘΚΠ

the world > animals > birds > order Charadriiformes > family Scolopacidae (snipes, etc.) > [noun] > unspecified and miscellaneous types of

humility1634

simplicity1634

surfbird1839

spathe-bill1840

tilt-up1848

stilt sandpiper1872

1839 J. J. Audubon Ornithol. Biogr. V. 249 (heading) Townsend's Surf-bird.

1872 E. Coues Key to N. Amer. Birds 245 Aphriza, Surf Bird.

1930 Condor 32 72 A flock of twelve Surf-birds was discovered along the rocky beach at Ventura.

2002 G. M. Eberhart Mysterious Creatures II. 520/2 The Surfbird (Aphriza virgata ), a plain gray Pacific sandpiper with white underparts.

surf clam n. any of several marine bivalve molluscs constituting the genus Spisula (family Mactridae) (also called triangle shell); esp. the large and edible S. solidissima of the west Atlantic, and S. solida of the north-east Atlantic.

ΘΚΠ

the world > animals > invertebrates > subkingdom Metazoa > grade Triploblastica or Coelomata > class Pelecypoda or Conchifera > [noun] > section Siphonida > sinu-pallialia > family Mactridae > member of

horseshoe1775

hen clam1841

otter-shell1865

trough shell1867

surf clam1873

1873 A. E. Verrill in S. F. Baird Rep. Sea Fisheries S. Coast New Eng. 1871–2 (U.S. Comm. Fish & Fisheries) xviii. 358 But moderate-sized and young ‘surf-clams’ are by no means ill-flavored.

1949 R. J. Sim Pages from Past 65 The big surf clam, or skimmer (Mactra solidissima Chemn.), lies bedded down in great colonies off shore.

1978 Times 29 July 3/6 More than two weeks after the wreck..we saw millions of dead molluscs, urchins, razor and surf clams.

2002 New Yorker 9 Dec. 24 An amusebouche of wild surf clams, lightly poached, arrives on a bed of chrysanthemum petals.

surf coot n. U.S. regional = surf duck n.

ΘΚΠ

the world > animals > birds > freshwater birds > order Anseriformes (geese, etc.) > subfamily Merginae (duck) > [noun] > genus Melanitta > melanitta perspicillata (surf-scoter)

surf duck1814

surf scoter1833

butter-duck1853

surf coot1885

1885 H. Seebohm Hist. Brit. Birds III. 610 To the hunters on Long Island it [sc. the Surf-scoter] is known as the ‘Spectacled Coot’ and ‘Surf-Coot’.

1939 Techn. Bull. (U.S. Dept. Agric.) No. 643. 121 The surf scoter is variously known as patchhead, surf coot, surf duck, skunkhead, mussel bill, king coot, and bald-headed sea coot.

1974 R. Elman Hunter's Field Guide Game Birds & Animals N. Amer. ii. 250 Surf coots share the diet of American scoters.

surf duck n. U.S. any scoter (sea duck) of the genus Melanitta; esp. the surf scoter, M. perspicillata.

ΘΚΠ

the world > animals > birds > freshwater birds > order Anseriformes (geese, etc.) > subfamily Merginae (duck) > [noun] > genus Melanitta > melanitta perspicillata (surf-scoter)

surf duck1814

surf scoter1833

butter-duck1853

surf coot1885

1814 A. Wilson Amer. Ornithol. VIII. 49 Black, or Surf Duck, Anas perspicillata.

1888 G. Trumbull Names & Portraits Birds 103 Surf Duck... In Maine,..Patch-Head; in Massachusetts..and at Stonington, Conn., Patch-polled Coot.

1953 E. E. Clark Indian Legends of Pacific Northwest iii. 121 Later, Chief Wolf had a surf duck for Kwatee.

2007 C. L. Henderson Oology & Ralph's Talking Eggs vi. 82/1 White-winged Scoter... Historic Names: White-winged Coot, Sea Coot, Black Surf Duck, [etc.].

surf fish n. U.S. = surfperch n.

ΘΚΠ

the world > animals > fish > superorder Acanthopterygii (spiny fins) > order Perciformes (perches) > suborder Percoidei > [noun] > member of family Embiotocidae (surf-perch)

surf fish1868

perch1882

surfperch1885

1868 T. F. Cronise Nat. Wealth Calif. 489 The first species only is an inhabitant of the interior rivers, the remainder being caught along the whole coast, and from their usual resorts on the open sea beaches, are often called ‘Surf Fish’.

1911 Fisheries U.S. 1908 (U.S. Bur. Census Special Rep.) 317 Surf-fish (Embiotocidae)... Also called..‘minny’..along their northern range.

2007 J. Cummings & N. G. Itoi Baja (ed. 7) 460/1 Most of the 25 or so species of surf fish weigh less than two kilograms (4.5 lbs) and are found along the Pacific coast.

surf-grass n. any of several marine grasses of the genus Phyllospadix (family Zosteraceae), having thickened rootstocks and slender stems, and growing underwater on rocky shores in temperate regions.

ΘΚΠ

the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > a grass or grasses > reedy or aquatic grasses > [noun] > other aquatic grasses

reed-grass1597

marram1640

reed meadow grass1772

eel-grass1790

buttongrass1814

cutting grass1831

sea hard-grass1843

sea sand-reed1856

tape-grass1857

spinifex1877

surf-grass1923

1923 L. Abrams Illustr. Flora Pacific States I. 94 Phyllospadix torreyi S. Wats. Torrey's Surf-grass.

1970 Press-Telegram (Long Beach, Calif.) 11 June a15/1 Heavy biological damage occurred in the intertidal surf grass and barnacle populations as a result of the oil pollution.

2003 P. A. Munz et al. Introd. Shore Wildflowers Calif., Oregon, & Washington (rev. ed.) 132 In eel-grass, the leaves are one-twelfth to one-third inch wide, and in surf-grass, they are less than one-twelfth inch wide.

surfperch n. any of various livebearing perciform fishes constituting the family Embiotocidae, frequenting coastal waters of the north Pacific.

ΘΚΠ

the world > animals > fish > superorder Acanthopterygii (spiny fins) > order Perciformes (perches) > suborder Percoidei > [noun] > member of family Embiotocidae (surf-perch)

surf fish1868

perch1882

surfperch1885

1885 J. A. Ryder On Devel. Viviparous Osseous Fishes 138 This hypertrophy of the hind-gut and remarkable development of elongated villi in the embryos of the surf-perches has some important function to subserve during fetal life.

1969 Jrnl. Parasitol. 55 435 (title) A new Philichthyid copepod parasitic in the mucous canals of surfperches.

2004 Independent 21 Sept. 32/4 The young of some surfperches are born pretty much ready to reproduce.

surf scoter n. a large sea duck, Melanitta perspicillata, the male of which is black with white patches on the head and a yellow bill, breeding in northern North America and seen occasionally in western Europe.

ΘΚΠ

the world > animals > birds > freshwater birds > order Anseriformes (geese, etc.) > subfamily Merginae (duck) > [noun] > genus Melanitta > melanitta perspicillata (surf-scoter)

surf duck1814

surf scoter1833

butter-duck1853

surf coot1885

1833 P. J. Selby Illustr. Brit. Ornithol. II. 335 (heading) Surf scoter. Oidemia perspicillata, Flem.

1907 ‘N. Blanchan’ Birds Every Child should Know xviii. 270 The surf scoters, or black coots, so abundant off the Atlantic coast in winter, dive constantly to feed on mussels, clams or scallops.

1957 Auk 74 392 When diving without use of the wings a Surf Scoter will sometimes clear the surface of the water in a high arc.

2006 Bird Watching Aug. 115/1 An Osprey flew over Aberlady. A Surf Scoter was off Musselburgh.

surf shiner n. U.S. rare the shiner perch, Cymatogaster aggregata (family Embiotocidae), a common small surfperch of the west coast of North America.

ΚΠ

1905 D. S. Jordan Guide Study of Fishes II. xxi. 376 Cymatogaster aggregatus, the surf-shiner, is a little fish, excessively common along the California coast.

surf smelt n. a marine smelt, Hypomesus pretiosus (family Osmeridae), of the west coast of North America, which spawns in the surf during the day.Originally confused with H. olidus, a freshwater species.

ΘΚΠ

the world > animals > fish > class Osteichthyes or Teleostomi > order Salmoniformes (salmon or trout) > [noun] > family Osmeridae(smelts)

surf smelt1881

1881 J. G. Swan in Proc. U.S. National Mus. 1880 3 43 The Quillehute Indians, who collect and dry for winter use a very choice variety of smelt (Hypomesus olidus), which I have named the surf-smelt, from its peculiar habit of depositing its spawn among the shingle of the beach.

1931 Trans. Amer. Microsc. Soc. 50 154 Mr. Loosanoff found E[nchytraeus] pugetensis in great numbers among the decaying eggs of the Surf Smelt, Hypomesus pretiosus.

2002 P. B. Moyle Inland Fishes Calif. (rev. ed.) 227/2 Delta smelt is indeed a well-defined species and..it is most closely related to surf smelt.

surf whiting n. U.S. the Gulf kingfish, Menticirrhus littoralis (family Sciaenidae), a silvery fish found close to the shores of the Gulf of Mexico and Florida.

ΘΚΠ

the world > animals > fish > superorder Acanthopterygii (spiny fins) > order Perciformes (perches) > family Sciaenidae (drums) > [noun] > member of genus Menticirrhus

whiting1735

kingfish1815

surf whiting1877

tomcod1881

roundhead1890

1877 C. Hallock Sportsman's Gazetteer 396 (heading) Surf-whiting; shore whiting; barb.—Menticirrus littoralis.

1952 Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 104 130 The Surf whiting, M. littoralis (Holbrook), I have seined in the surf at Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

2006 Courier-Mail (Brisbane) (Nexis) 13 Jan. (Today) 22 Three locations I fish and recommend for surf whiting in season are the southern half of Teewah Beach [etc.].

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2012; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

单词	surf
释义	surfn. Brit. /səːf/, U.S. /sərf/ Forms: 1600s surfe, 1600s– surf, 1700s surff. Origin: Probably a variant or alteration of another lexical item. Etymon: suff n. Etymology: Probably a variant or alteration of suff n., perhaps after surge n. (compare surge n. 2b). In branch II. after surf v. N.E.D. (1918) speculatively suggested a derivation < an Indic language, apparently on the basis of early uses in quot. 1685 at sense 1a (which was N.E.D.'s earliest evidence for the word) and quot. 1698 at sense 1b, which show an Indian geographical context. However, earlier quots. (1606, 1633 at sense 1a, 1633 at sense 1b) are in a South Pacific geographical context, and a plausible Indic etymon has not been proposed. I. The swell of the sea, a wave, and related senses. 1. a. The swell of the sea as it breaks upon a shore (esp. a shallow shore), reef, etc.; spec. (in later use) breaking waves collectively, as ridden by surfers. Also in figurative contexts. In recent use usually with some implication of sense 2. ΘΚΠ the world > the earth > water > flow or flowing > wave > foam or surf > [noun] > surf surf1606 seegea1609 snuffle1630 surf1633 1606 A. Craig Amorose Songes sig. Evi^v Heere springs the surfe of my ensuing smart; Yet play I pray the gentle Pyrats part. 1633 T. James Strange Voy. 37 Return to the shoare, we could not, by reason of the surfe. 1685 W. Hedges Diary 3 Feb. (1887) I. 182 [At Fort St George, Madras] This unhappy accident, together with y^e greatness of y^e Sea and Surf ashore, caused us to come aboard again. 1719 D. Defoe Life Robinson Crusoe 57 My Raft was now strong enough to bear any reasonable Weight; my next Care was..how to preserve what I laid upon it from the Surf of the Sea. 1745 P. Thomas True Jrnl. Voy. South-Seas 35 The Landing is bad by reason of pretty much Surf, and great Stones like Rocks. 1799 W. Hales Irish Pursuits of Lit. Advt. p. xv Experimental Statesmen..who long had piloted the entrusted vessel of the State through all the surf of Democracy, beating against the coral rocks of Aristocracy and the Reef of Royalty. 1836 W. Irving Astoria II. 100 Low bellowings..like the hoarse murmurs of the surf on a distant shore. 1886 J. Ruskin Præterita I. xi. 379 Half-a-mile of dangerous surf between the ship and the shore. 1887 Science 10 115 The remarkable boards of koa-wood,..standing on which they rode through the surf. 1906 M. Pemberton My Sword for Lafayette xxiv The distant thunder of the sea surf upon an angry shore. 1961 J. Heller Catch-22 xiv. 142 The surf was always small, the water clear and cool. 1998 J. Irving Widow for One Year 148 Listening to the crickets and the tree frogs and the distant percussion of the surf. 2003 K. Slater & J. Borte Pipe Dreams (2004) v. 124 My friends and I were the up-and-coming kids from Hawaii, and we were all riding big surf. b. An instance or example of this; a swell, a surge.figurative in quot. 1698. ΘΚΠ the world > the earth > water > flow or flowing > wave > foam or surf > [noun] > surf surf1606 seegea1609 snuffle1630 surf1633 1633 T. James Strange Voy. 49 There came in a great rowling Sea withall, about the point; accompanied with a great surfe on the shoare. 1698 J. Fryer New Acct. E.-India & Persia 14 A notable Fish..It might be in length forty Feet..bolting out of the Water with a great Surf. 1748 B. Robins & R. Walter Voy. round World by Anson ii. ii. 134 The wind..occasioned such a surf, that it was impossible for the boat to land. 1763 E. Thompson Temple of Venus i. 14 A dull promiscuous sound a-far..like..southern surffs upon an iron shore. 1803 W. Wittman Trav. in Turkey 3 A military artificer was unfortunately washed off the vessel by a surf. 1840 T. B. Macaulay Ld. Clive in Ess. ⁋8 Fort St. George had arisen on a barren spot beaten by a raging surf. 1879 A. R. Wallace's Australasia xvi. 303 The southern coast..is exposed to a heavy and dangerous surf, which rolls in upon the shore at all seasons. 1933 Mariner's Mirror 19 269 The Defence..proceeded to drag..the other bower rapidly towards a dead-lee shore with a heavy surf breaking. 2004 J. Sugden Nelson ii. xxvi. 753 Most of the beaches were black and broken and slippery underfoot and often guarded by a heavy surf. 2. a. The white foamy water produced by waves breaking upon a seashore, reef, etc.; a line or quantity of this formed along the edge of the sea. ΘΚΠ the world > the earth > water > flow or flowing > wave > foam or surf > [noun] > surf > line of surf1757 surf line1841 line-up1963 1757 tr. J. G. Keyssler Trav. IV. 141 Salt..was not produced here as in other countries by a desication of the surf of the sea [L. non ut alias apud gentis eluvie maris arescente unda (Tacitus Annals 13.57)]. 1785 W. Cowper Task vi. 155 Light as the foamy surf That the wind severs from the broken wave. 1832 Ld. Tennyson Dream Fair Women xiv, in Poems (new ed.) 125 White surf windscattered over sails and masts. 1882 ‘Ouida’ In Maremma I. 78 She played with the sails, with the surf, and with the crystals of the salt. 1900 J. Grinnell Birds of Kotzebue Sound Region 12 It [sc. a gull] was alone, nervously alighting and flying short distances along the surf. 1934 T. Wood Cobbers 219 A line of snowy surf. 1947 Life 17 Nov. 77/2 (caption) Brighton..[had become] a kind of Coney Island for middle classes who sat in the surf or lolled on the pebbly beach. 2009 Esquire Mar. 190/2 Silhouetted figures glided on right-breaking barrels, then flopped into the waves, vanishing into churning surf. b. figurative and in figurative contexts. ΚΠ 1847 H. W. Longfellow Evangeline ii. iii. 24 Just where the woodlands met the flowery surf of the prairie. 1873 J. R. Lowell Above & Below ii. i To behold The first long surf of climbing light Flood all the thirsty east with gold. 1920 S. Lewis Main St. xxiv. 300 She pictured herself looking at Emerson's manse, bathing in a surf of jade and ivory, wearing a trottoir and a summer fur. 1994 C. McWilliam Debatable Land (1995) vi. 128 A small island within the lagoon, a motu , seemed to rock also, like a tall green yacht with a surf of white sand at its base. II. An act of surfing. 3. An act of swimming in the surf or (now usually) riding a surfboard; an act of surfing. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > water sports except racing > surfing > [noun] surf swimming1829 surf-riding1854 surfing1896 surfboarding1903 surf1917 sport of kings1935 kitesurfing1995 society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > water sports except racing > swimming > [noun] > specific type breaststroke1890 medley1913 surf1917 skinny-dip1947 skinny-dipping1947 shark-baiting1951 swim-in1960 synchro-swim1976 society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > water sports except racing > surfing > [noun] > actions of surfer kick-out1801 ride1883 side-slip1913 surf1917 slide1935 pull-out1957 quasimodo1960 head dip1962 nose-riding1962 rolling1962 spinner1962 stalling1962 toes over1962 cutback1963 Eskimo roll1964 re-entry1968 right1968 rollercoaster1968 barrel roll1971 hold-down1982 railing1983 cross-stepping1990 cross-step1994 turtle roll2001 1917 ABC Pathfinder Railway Guide Mar. 7/1 To the beach for a surf and a sun bath. 1934 C. Mackness Young Beachcombers 46 Wish we had brought togs for a surf. 1967 D. Horne Educ. Young Donald 11 Then go for another stroll down to the beach, and another surf. 1971 Stud. in Eng. (Univ. Cape Town) 2 27 If a surfer is going out..just for a short while, probably to a local surf spot, he says ‘I'm going to catch a surf.’ 1988 Offshore June 45/1 He thought that he might go for an early surf, so the alarm was set for another ridiculous hour. 2002 N.Y. Times (National ed.) 16 Oct. a11/1 Grab a board and go out for a surf. Phrases surf is (also was, etc.) up. a. Indicating that the condition of the waves is currently suitable for surfing. ΚΠ 1962 T. Masters Surfing made Easy 64 Glassy, smooth water, no wind, if the surf is up then the best of surfing conditions. 1986 Courier-Mail (Brisbane) (Nexis) 18 Sept. Voting is, at the very least, a boring waste of a Saturday morning—especially when the sun is out and the surf is up. 2000 S. Ingham in J. Adams et al. Girls' Night In 575 The waiter seemed so laid-back that his only worry could be whether the surf was up. b. As int., esp. as surf's up, with implication that the opportunity to surf should not be missed. Also figurative. ΚΠ 1963 Press-Telegram (Long Beach, Calif.) 4 July b9/2 The Monarchs are also a recording band, having cut ‘Surf's up’ and ‘My Babe’ on Dell Star Label. 1988 D. A. Wilson REMF Diary 23 He stood up lazily, said ‘Surf's up’, and strode lithely off. 1990 T. Robbins Skinny Legs & All 346 He/she yelled ‘Surf's up!’ and..did his/her toeless best to hang ten. 2011 Riverton (New S. Wales) Times (Nexis) 1 Sept. 2 (heading) Surf's up for lifesaving grants. Compounds C1. a. (a) General attributive. surf barrier n. ΚΠ 1897 Amer. Naturalist 31 984 All of what Professor MacMillan terms surf-barrier formations are merely isolated facies and patches of certain water-plant formations. 1905 Condor 7 121 We made a trial of driving our boat through the lowest place in the surf-barrier. 2009 J. Hess Galápagos iv. 33/2 They [sc. marine iguanas] must pass through the surf barrier to feed. surf beach n. ΚΠ 1848 Daily National Intelligencer (Washington) 29 Sept. A low dry sand beach is interposed between high land and the surf beach along the shore. 1932 N. Palmer Talking it Over 137 Surf-beaches of any size are rare in the world. 2006 Courier-Mail (Brisbane) 22 July (Q weekend section) 43/1 What used to be coastal bush separating the resort from the surf beach. surf billow n. ΚΠ 1853 M. Howitt tr. F. Bremer Homes of New World I. ii. 12 I saw the surf billows, like some unknown, enormous sea-creatures, heave themselves, roaring at a distance around us. 1890 ‘R. Boldrewood’ Colonial Reformer (1891) 154 The deep-toned ceaseless roll of the surf-billows. 2003 E. Paquin Accumulus 44 I am not..one of those timely, silvery chimes bloom't rounder, rounder even than surf billows. surf sound n. ΚΠ 1799 S. J. Pratt Gleanings in Eng. xxii. 462 Listening to the surf-sound, the flap of the boat-sail, or the measured dash of the distant oar. 1887 E. R. Sill Poems 13 The air is full of the whispering pine, Surf-sound of an aerial sea. 2008 I. Doig Eleventh Man vii. 191 Two men and a dog, they stood there in the surf sound, its grave beat upon the shore. surf-thunder n. ΚΠ 1847 Daily Sentinel & Gaz. (Milwaukee, Wisconsin Territory) 24 Aug. A sound came over the sea that shook the Island as it never shook in the surf thunder. 1955 L. Durrell Let. in I. S. MacNiven Durrell-Miller Lett. (1988) 279 I still hear the surf-thunder of your prose in memory. 2000 W. Ashworth Great Lakes Journey (2003) vii. 293 The sound of their laughter lost in the cacophony of surfthunder. (b) Locative. surf fish v. ΚΠ 1900 Outing Jan. 394/2 If he intends..to surf-fish for the channel bass, it would be well for him to outfit at home. 1979 ‘A. Blaisdell’ No Villain need Be vii. 120 They like to surf-fish, and they claim rain..drives 'em in toward the beach. 2010 Lowell (Mass.) Sun (Nexis) 19 Sept. Maybe we will once again have a beach from which to surf fish! surf fisherman n. ΚΠ 1892 Amer. Angler May 350/2 Were we ever justified in yielding to this tabooed weakness [sc. bad temper], the surf fisherman should receive absolution for his sin. 1967 O. E. Middleton in Coast to Coast 1965–6 123 The surf-fishermen leaned out over the shallows. 2009 D. Owen Shark i. 21 There was a time when Durban surf fishermen paid surfers to..drop the baited hook into what was, literally, shark-infested water. surf fishing n. ΚΠ 1876 J. J. Brown Amer. Angler's Guide (ed. 5) Index 427/2 Rod for surf-fishing for basse. 1949 S. K. Farrington Fishing the Atlantic iv. 82 Surf fishing at Narragansett should be a revelation. 2002 Sport Fishing June 38/1 In conventional (revolving-spool) reels, prime applications include bottomfishing and surf fishing. † surf-sunk adj. Obsolete ΚΠ 1828 T. Campbell Death-boat of Heligoland 22 Now surf-sunk for minutes, again they uptossed. (c) Instrumental. surf-battered adj. ΚΠ 1900 F. A. Ober Storied W. Indies xviii. 241 I had to land upon a surf-battered shore at the imminent risk of my life. 1994 N.Y. Rev. Bks. 3 Feb. 32/2 Northern Australia's red-rock and surf-battered shores. surf-beaten adj. ΚΠ 1786 R. Cumberland Observer II. xxxviii. 92 The aged suitor turns his trembling steps To the surf-beaten shore. 1803 T. Campbell Poems 6 Like ocean-weeds heap'd on the surf-beaten shore. 1992 Calgary (Alberta) Herald (Nexis) 24 Nov. c3 A male figure..writhes seductively in moonlight on a surf-beaten beach. surf-bound adj. ΚΠ 1797 Parnassian Garland 103 Thy lustre first illumes Surf-bound groves, and marbled tombs. 1884 19th Cent. Feb. 239 The noisy tumult of a surf-bound shore. 2007 R. O. Collins & J. M. Burns Hist. Sub-Saharan Afr. i. 17 The coast curls around the protrusion of West Africa along its surf-bound shore to the Niger Delta. surf-showered adj. ΚΠ 1883 Cent. Mag. Sept. 732/1 The survivors sink to safer depths or settle on some public and preëmpted homestead among the surf-showered rocks. surf-tormented adj. ΚΠ 1829 E. A. Poe Dream within a Dream ii I stand amid the roar Of a surf-tormented shore. 2006 G. Grendstad et al. Unique Environmentalism iii. vii. 106 Between the mountains of the land and the long surf-tormented shoreline. surf-vexed adj. ΚΠ 1852 G. C. Mundy Our Antipodes II. i. 12 Green turfy knolls sloping abruptly to the surf-vexed beach. 1914 H. M. Vaughan Australasian Wander-year i. 14 Breezy Mount Lavinia, overlooking the surf-vexed shore. surf-washed adj. ΚΠ 1832 S. Roper Sketches Birds 29 The surf-washed caves of the Indian sea Might, surely, be deem'd a safe refuge for me. 1861 L. L. Noble After Icebergs 180 The bleak, surf-washed rocks. 2010 D. L. Wilson Raven Speak 99 She held her head tilted..much like a gull targeting a surf-washed tidbit. surf-wasted adj. ΚΠ 1854 H. Miller My Schools & Schoolmasters xxiv. 509 The picturesque surf-wasted stacks of the granitic wall of rock. 2003 P. Hayden Last Wave ii. 31 ‘You comin' up the shops?’..meant a beeline to the Manly Pie Shop or Henry's or wherever, to gorge our little surf-wasted bodies. surf-worn adj. ΚΠ 1798 N. Drake Literary Hours 402 Each surf-worn cave. 1878 A. Geikie Geol. Sketches (1882) ii. 34 Weather-beaten or surf-worn sheets of rock. 1999 P. D. Campbell Survival Skills Native Calif. i. 92/2 Large numbers of surf-worn basalt boulders of different sizes. (d) Similative. surf white adj. ΚΠ 1833 A. Domett Poems 139 A thousand breakers..boil and hiss, and raise on high Their surf-white heads. 1897 M. Kingsley Trav. W. Afr. 391 The young women..with their soft dusky skins,..pretty brown eyes, and surf-white teeth. 2007 L. Anthony & G. Spence Babylon's Ark (2008) ix. 139 Her feathers, once surf white, were now sickly gray. b. With the sense ‘of or relating to surfing’, as surf contest, surf lesson, surf school, etc. ΚΠ 1938 Vidette-Messenger (Valparaiso, Indiana) 16 May 4/5 (heading) Australia to enter Hawaiian surf contests. 1967 J. Severson Great Surfing Gloss. Mysterioso, an ‘adornment’ or surf trick popular in the late fifties. 1985 Sunday Mail (Queensland) (Nexis) 12 May I am running my private swimming classes, have a surf school, have just finished another book on swimming and will be getting married soon. 1987 K. Lette Girls' Night Out (1989) 16 Julia scored you the journo's job as surf reporter. 1993 Orange County (Calif.) Reg. (Nexis) 18 Nov. b6 It may sound far-fetched to think that anyone living on a tiny Pacific island would need surf lessons. 1997 GQ Sept. 270/1 Hamilton guests in surf movies such as Endless Summer II. 2011 Church Times 15 July 12/5 Giving surfing a go is easy. Search the internet for surf schools—they are a good place to start, as you will pick up the right habits and techniques. c. With the sense ‘characteristic of surf music’, as surf guitar, surf harmony, surf pop, etc. Cf. surf music n. at Compounds 2a, surf punk n. at Compounds 2a. ΚΠ 1963 Charleston (W. Virginia) Daily Mail 30 Mar. 7/6 The tidal wave that is sweeping the fad inland is the ‘surf beat’ of the latest, hottest rock 'n' roll records. 1963 D. Dale (title of album) King of the surf guitar. 1985 Spin Oct. 39/3 Dee Dee's ‘ahh, naa naa naa’ surf harmonies. 1997 A. Blake Land without Music iii. 126 Brian Wilson, who invented the aural Californication of ‘surf pop’ with the Beach Boys. 2007 Vanity Fair Feb. 108/2 Freedom's Road harnesses the infectious reverb-heavy surf guitar and psychedelic rock that came out of California in the 1960s. C2. a. surf bathe v. now somewhat archaic (a) intransitive to swim in surf; (b) intransitive = surf v. 2a. ΚΠ 1851 ‘Joseph’ N.-Y. Aristocracy xii. 147 Drinking Congress water at crowded hotels, or surf-bathing at sandy seaports. 1940 V. Brittain Test. of Friendship xii. 192 You'll look at the Rhodes Memorial and the Union Buildings..; you'll..surf-bathe at Durban.., and then you'll begin to think you know everything. 2008 L. Chase Surfing Women of Waves 40 Perhaps, as Twain remarked, no one can surf bathe as well as the natives, but [Ethel] Kukea..came close. surf-bather n. now somewhat archaic (a) a person who swims in surf; (b) = surfer n. 1a. ΚΠ 1848 Boston Daily Atlas 25 Aug. 1/3 The surf-bathers were glorying in the anticipation of a heavy-rolling surf. 1893 K. Sanborn Truthful Woman S. Calif. 163 Surf bathers go in every month of the year. 2001 L. Huntsman Sand in our Souls (2004) v. 73 The surf-bathers were described as ‘young Greek gods’, and the healthful effects of surfing eulogised. surf-bathing n. now somewhat archaic (a) the action or pastime of swimming in surf; (b) = surfing n. 2a. ΚΠ 1830 J. F. Watson Ann. Philadelphia 700 They had no surf there and were content to bathe in a kind of waterhouse, covered; even Bingham's great house..indulged no idea of surf-bathing. 1872 ‘M. Twain’ Roughing It lxxiii. 526 The national pastime of surf-bathing. 1912 Truth (Sydney) 18 Feb. 8/3 I think respectable people may go surf-bathing and, still remain respectable, but people who aren't moral and respectable do not become so by shooting the breakers. 2005 D. C. Tripp Season of Open Water iii. 195 It is a summer of long steamy days and clear cool nights for surf-bathing, boat trips, angling off the angler stands. surf boat n. a boat specially designed for use in heavy surf, and typically employed for landing passengers and goods from a larger craft lying offshore, or (now usually) for lifesaving. ΘΚΠ society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > boat attendant on larger vessel > [noun] > boat plying between ship shore > constructed to pass through surf masula1675 surf boat1789 Monomoy1908 1789 Eng. Rev. July 47 The communication with the shore is managed by surf-boats, expressly calculated for the purpose. 1856 C. Dickens & W. Collins Wreck Golden Mary (1898) 22 I gave..the word to lower the Long-boat and the Surf-boat. 1949 M. Steen Twilight on Floods ii. i. 181 The boys who take the surf boats between the ships and the shore. 2009 Gold Coast Bull. (Austral.) (Nexis) 14 Dec. 8 A 13-year-old Brisbane girl..had to be given oxygen after a dramatic rescue in a surf boat. surf boatman n. now chiefly historical a member of the crew of a surf boat; a person skilled at managing a boat in heavy surf. ΘΚΠ society > travel > travel by water > one who travels by water or sea > sailor > types of sailor > [noun] > sailor on other types of craft brigantiner1555 gondolier1603 collier1716 Greenlandman?1785 junkman1795 surfman1816 Whitehaller1824 gig1833 yawler1833 coracler1834 keel-boatman1839 square-rigger1855 surf boatman1856 skiffman1868 flatman1883 yawlsman1885 packet rat1887 hookerman1894 scooterist1919 launchman1924 sampan-wallah1932 tanker man1932 hydrocyclist- 1856 C. Nordhoff Whaling & Fishing xvii. 315 I dare say the surf-boatmen did not spare their maledictions at our carelessness. 1880 Scribner's Monthly Jan. 323 It is an erroneous notion that the experience of the sailor qualifies him for a surf-boatman. 2008 V. R. Field Mayday! 37 By this time there were numbers of local people on the beach, many of them knowledgeable surf boatmen. surf break n. Surfing an area of coastline where waves regularly break in a manner suitable for surfing. ΚΠ 1976 Alaska Nat. Gas Transportation Syst.: Alternatives (U.S. Dept. Interior) 550 A surf break with waves whose potential to size, quality and frequency in relation to other surf spots makes it a unique surfing resource. 1991 Orange County (Calif.) Reg. 28 May f3/2 The surfers found mediocre waves when they reached the surfbreaks. 2009 New Yorker 6 Apr. 35/1 He..got up at 4:30 a.m. to hit his favorite surf break. surf-bum n. [ < surf n. + bum n.⁶] slang (originally U.S.) a surfing enthusiast; a person who habitually spends time surfing, or participating in surf culture. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > water sports except racing > surfing > [noun] > surfer > specific types rider1914 surf-bum1957 big kahuna1959 gremlin1961 hot dogger1961 kook1961 goofy foot1962 hodad1962 surfie1962 goofy footer1963 natural1965 goofy surfer1968 switchfoot1970 boogie boarder1979 grummet1986 waxhead1987 grom1988 wakeboarder1994 kitesurfer1995 1957 N.Y. Times Bk. Rev. 10 Nov. 41/3 ‘Gidget’ is a pleasant novel about a nice—for a change—teen-age girl and the summer she spent with a bunch of surf bums—i.e., young men who spend from twelve to fourteen hours a day riding surf boards. 1971 Times 9 Aug. 5/1 The surf-bums have a language all their own; they talk about pipelines, green rooms, roller-coasters. 1996 G. Ward Hawaii: Rough Guide ii. vii. 420 An appealing mixture of laid-back old-timers, spaced-out New Age incomers and hyperactive surf-bums. surf-cast v. intransitive to fish by casting a line into the sea from the shore. ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > hunting > fishing > type or method of fishing > [verb (intransitive)] > fish in sea > from shore surf-cast1926 1926 Davenport (Iowa) Democrat & Leader 21 Nov. 1/8 The defendant was surf casting on the beach at Lavallette the night Mrs. Eleanor R. Mills was slain. 1975 Country Life 16 Jan. 131/2 Surf-cast for corvina..on a California beach and you will probably have to show your California fishing licence. 2003 AMC Outdoors Mag. Oct. 88/2 You can watch anglers surf-cast for striped bass and bluefish. surfcaster n. a person who fishes by casting a line into the sea from the shore. ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > hunting > fishing > fisher > [noun] > sea-fisher sea-fisherman1865 sea-angler1893 sea-fisher1893 surfcaster1897 rockhopper1917 salt-chucker1958 1897 National Mag. Jan. 335/1 Most of the fishermen were good surf casters, but none were like Margot. 1968 ‘S. Jay’ Sleepers can Kill xxiv. 248 When you've walked through to the beach, you'll see a surfcaster, fishing by himself. 2001 N.Y. Times (National ed.) 16 Dec. viii. 10/2 While the surfcasters were able to reach the fish, high winds and heavy seas kept most of the boats and flyrodders off the water until two weeks ago. surf-casting n. the action or practice of fishing by casting a line into the sea from the shore. ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > hunting > fishing > type or method of fishing > [noun] > sea-fishing > from shore shore fishery1767 shore-fishing1865 surf-casting1894 1894 W. D. Boyce & F. E. Pond Strike 48 Trolling and surf-casting are the methods employed by most anglers in striped bass fishing. 1928 N.Y. Times 8 Oct. 21/4 Charles Vollum of Philadelphia became surf casting champion of the United States today at the annual tournament of the Dover Fishing Club of Philadelphia. 2009 J. Loomis Mating Season xvi. 212 A few early tourists had parked their RVs..intending to do a bit of surf-casting at land's end. surf club n. (a) a club associated with the beach or beach-related activities, esp. (in later use) surfing; (b) Australian and New Zealand an organization of lifeguards who patrol a particular beach; cf. surf lifesaving n.In quot. 1878 the reason for the name is unclear. ΚΠ 1878 M. G. Fetherstonhaugh Kingsdene I. viii. 147 The careless comment which falls on Gordon Leslie's ear as, an hour later, he enters the Surf Club. 1907 Sydney Morning Herald 18 July 11/8 A resolution was carried with much enthusiasm, creating ‘The Manly Surf Club’. The objects of the club are to organise the surf-bathers,..and to devise a means of rendering surf-bathing safer. 1965 Ebony Apr. 111/1 A member of the Bay Area Surf Club, Frank is secretary of the group composed of some 30 teen-agers. 2003 H. Torrens Paraffin Chron. 39 The wild bunch at Wind-an-Sea decided they wanted to surf in the first-ever club contest at Malibu... So, they formed a surf club on the spot. 2007 A. C. Verge Santa Monica Lifeguards v. 100 (caption) Lifeguard Terry Palma leads a winter training session for members of the Santa Monica Junior Lifeguard team that competed against various surf clubs in New Zealand in 1973. surf culture n. the subculture associated with surfing and surfers; esp. the language, fashion, music, etc., characteristic of the surfing lifestyle. ΚΠ 1966 H. Williams All Time in World v. 212 This is the walking-ground of the whole surf culture. 1987 N.Y. Times 21 Oct. c1/2 The interest in surf culture has, paradoxically, stirred up bad feelings and split the world of surfers into factions. 2011 D. Hamilton Damage Control i. 9 I..refused to go west of La Cienega, and sneered with art-school disdain at the hedonism of surf culture. surf day n. a day on which the surf is especially rough; spec. one on which it is difficult or impossible to load or land cargo at a port. ΘΚΠ the world > the earth > water > flow or flowing > wave > foam or surf > [noun] > surf > day marked by rough surf surf day1854 1854 G. W. Peck Melbourne & Chincha Islands 187 Often when the mornings are still, and the surface of the sea undisturbed by a ripple, the surf will be rolling tremendously on the narrow beaches... These are called ‘surf-days’, and special allowance is made for them in the charter parties of vessels loading at the islands. 1950 J. S. Learmont Master in Sail 60 Surf days did not count as working days. These surf days are peculiar to the northern part of the coast of Chile. 2001 J. Bennett After Battersea Park i. 129 He predicted the surf days ahead of time, knew the sea, reefs, swells, tides and currents better than anyone. surf leash n. a leash attached to the tail of a surfboard and fastened around the surfer’s ankle to prevent the board being washed away if he or she falls off. ΚΠ 1971 Anderson (Indiana) Sunday Herald 7 Nov. 7/2 (caption) A wetsuited surfer..clutches his surf leash as he heads towards the beach. 2013 B. Marcus 365 Surfboards 100 A time before surf leashes, when a mistake meant a long swim and possibly a lost surfboard. surf lifesaver n. chiefly Australian and New Zealand a lifeguard specially trained to carry out rescues in heavy surf; (now esp.) a member of a surf lifesaving club (see surf lifesaving n.). ΚΠ 1922 Boston Sunday Globe 4 Sept. 4/5 (headline) Surf life-savers carnival feature. 1977 N.Z. Herald 8 Jan. i. 6/4 I have been talking to the wife of a surf lifesaver, and she spoke of the apparent indifference people show on being saved from drowning. 2002 Independent 21 Mar. 1/4 Surf lifesavers, the bronzed young men who epitomise Australia's beach macho culture, were forced to abandon their national competition yesterday after a pack of sharks sent them fleeing to dry land. surf lifesaving n. chiefly Australian and New Zealand the action or process of saving a person from drowning in the surf; the skills and activities of a surf lifesaver; chiefly attributive.Frequently with reference to the activities of volunteer lifesaving organizations such as Surf Life Saving Australia, members of which patrol beaches acting as lifeguards and also take part in competitive demonstrations of lifesaving skills. ΚΠ 1878 Newcastle Courant 6 Sept. 5/1 Chief amongst those [experiments] exhibited were a buoy..and a surf life-saving apparatus. 1907 Sydney Morning Herald 7 Oct. 11/4 Coogee surf life-saving brigade. 1968 W. Warwick Surfriding in N.Z. 1 It is difficult to imagine how closely it was once associated with the surf lifesaving movement. 1998 Traveller Mag. 28 Feb. 43/4 Australia has named its team for the upcoming surf lifesaving championships in South Africa. surfman n. U.S. (now chiefly historical) a member of the crew of a surf boat; a lifeboatman. ΘΚΠ society > travel > travel by water > one who travels by water or sea > sailor > types of sailor > [noun] > sailor on other types of craft brigantiner1555 gondolier1603 collier1716 Greenlandman?1785 junkman1795 surfman1816 Whitehaller1824 gig1833 yawler1833 coracler1834 keel-boatman1839 square-rigger1855 surf boatman1856 skiffman1868 flatman1883 yawlsman1885 packet rat1887 hookerman1894 scooterist1919 launchman1924 sampan-wallah1932 tanker man1932 hydrocyclist- 1816 Maryland Gaz. 11 Jan. 3/4 Being high water, the most experienced surf-men thought it imprudent to make an attempt [at rescue]. 1903 N.Y. Tribune 4 Oct. The surfmen rowed ashore, and the bathing season was at an end. 2002 Chesapeake Life Aug. 94/2 Okonowicz will tell tall tales with the help of period-costumed surfmen, what lifesavers used to be called. surfmanship n. skill in sailing, swimming, surfing, etc., in heavy surf; spec. (U.S., now chiefly historical) the ability skilfully to operate a surf boat (cf. surfman n.). ΚΠ 1880 Scribner's Monthly Jan. 334 Until 1871..surfmanship was not a standard of qualification. 1921 Brownsville (Texas) Herald 2 Apr. 1/2 The official report on the incident says of the four men that their ‘superb surfmanship..overcame well-nigh insuperable obstacles’. 1993 Sun Herald (Sydney) (Nexis) 19 Dec. 56 If a big surf does roll in, then it will really get down to the competitor with the best surfmanship. 2000 D. L. Noble Lifeboat Sailors i. 16 The crew..knew they needed the same skills in surfmanship that the other two boats had displayed just to survive. surf mat n. = surf mattress n. ΚΠ 1924 Galveston (Texas) Daily News 6 Mar. 7/6 Currey was in the water swimming toward the two bathers and dragging behind him a surf mat. 1949 Toodyay (W. Austral.) Herald 3 Nov. (caption) Now that supplies are really plentiful again, rubber surf mats will be the rage again on beaches this summer. 2010 M. Warshaw Hist. Surfing 268/1 In 1973..he introduced the Morey Boogie;..sort of a cross between the bellyboard and the inflatable surf mat. surf mattress n. an inflatable rubber or plastic mattress used for surfing. ΚΠ 1916 Lowell (Mass.) Sun 3 Feb. 5/3 [He] was about to enter the surf with his inflated ‘surf’ mattress. 1942 Morning Bull. (Rockhampton, Queensland) 27 July 3/4 Rubber to make almost 1300 new tyres for Beaufort bombers was collected... Babies' dummies, rubber surf mattresses,..rubber gloves, [etc.],..all came to light. 2010 Advertiser (Adelaide) (Nexis) 16 Jan. 68 Your platform of delight was a small, surf mattress. Still you caught a wave or two and the bigger ones surprised you. surf music n. a style of popular music originating in southern California in the early 1960s, associated with surfing and surf culture; spec. (a) a style of instrumental rock music characterized by distinctive guitar effects; (b) a style of pop music characterized by high vocal harmonies and lyrics about surfing. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > the arts > music > type of music > pop music > [noun] > other pop music a cappella1905 soundclash1925 marabi1933 doo-wop1958 filk1959 folk-rock1963 Liverpool sound1963 Mersey beat1963 Mersey sound1963 surf music1963 malombo1964 mbaqanga1964 easy listening1965 disco music1966 Motown1966 boogaloo1967 power pop1967 psychedelia1967 yé-yé1967 agitpop1968 bubblegum1968 Tamla Motown1968 Tex-Mex1968 downtempo1969 taarab1969 thrash1969 world music1969 funk1970 MOR1970 tropicalism1970 Afrobeat1971 electro-pop1971 post-rock1971 techno-pop1971 Tropicalia1971 tropicalismo1971 disco1972 Krautrock1972 schlager1973 Afropop1974 punk funk1974 disco funk1975 Europop1976 mgqashiyo1976 P-funk1976 funkadelia1977 karaoke music1977 alternative music1978 hardcore1978 psychobilly1978 punkabilly1978 R&B1978 cowpunk1979 dangdut1979 hip-hop1979 Northern Soul1979 rap1979 rapping1979 jit1980 trance1980 benga1981 New Romanticism1981 post-punk1981 rap music1981 scratch1982 scratch-music1982 synth-pop1982 electro1983 garage1983 Latin1983 Philly1983 New Age1984 New Age music1985 ambient1986 Britpop1986 gangster rap1986 house1986 house music1986 mbalax1986 rai1986 trot1986 zouk1986 bhangra1987 garage1987 hip-house1987 new school1987 old school1987 thrashcore1987 acid1988 acid house1988 acid jazz1988 ambience1988 Cantopop1988 dance1988 deep house1988 industrial1988 swingbeat1988 techno1988 dream pop1989 gangsta rap1989 multiculti1989 new jack swing1989 noise-pop1989 rave1989 Tejano1989 breakbeat1990 chill-out music1990 indie1990 new jack1990 new jill swing1990 noisecore1990 baggy1991 drum and bass1991 gangsta1991 handbag house1991 hip-pop1991 loungecore1991 psychedelic trance1991 shoegazing1991 slowcore1991 techno-house1991 gabba1992 jungle1992 sadcore1992 UK garage1992 darkcore1993 dark side1993 electronica1993 G-funk1993 sampladelia1994 trip hop1994 break1996 psy-trance1996 nu skool1997 folktronica1999 dubstep2002 Bongo Flava2003 grime2003 Bongo2004 singeli2015 1963 Star-News (Pasadena, Calif.) 8 May 11/3 (advt.) All Valley Teen Dance..Surf music. Adult Supervision. Dress in Good Taste. 1977 Sounds 9 July 28/2 The Turtles started out playing surf music at High School hops in LA. 1999 New Yorker 20 Sept. 24/1 These space-age stowaways from Alabama play lo-fi surf music punctuated with sci-fi samples from the fifties. surf punk n. (a) a person affiliated with surf culture, esp. a surfer who holds attitudes associated with punk rock; (b) a genre of punk rock influenced by surf music. ΚΠ 1979 (album title) Surf punks. 1980 L. Bangs Notes on Austin in L. Bangs & J. Morthland Mainlines, Blood Feasts, Bad Taste (2003) 310 Their thing is surf punks. Dick Dale and ‘Telstar’ and alien beach parties and rantin' 'n' ravin' about whoever double-crossed you this time. 1980 Billboard 15 Nov. ii. 32/3 There are soul bands, rockabilly-country bands, blues bands, electronic experimenters, surf punk, punk rock bands. You name it. 1991 New Yorker 11 Mar. 10/1 Home to an enlightened mixture of garage-rock, rockabilly, surf-punk, and psychedelic-rock bands. 2001 N.Y. Times Mag. 23 Sept. ii. 108/3 Balthazar may look like a California surf punk, with sandy brown curly hair, perma-smirk and ‘whatever’ attitude, but he has the wisdom, the world-weariness, of a blue-blooded Getty. 2006 Time Out N.Y. 20 Apr. 137/1 Toubab Krewe..joins in all the twanging with a griotified version of what might otherwise be generic, post-Grateful Dead surf-punk. surf rack n. (a) a roof rack designed for carrying one or more surfboards; (b) a rack for storing surfboards. ΚΠ 1964 Independent Press-Telegram (Long Beach, Calif.) 19 July (advt.) 9′ 6″ Hobie Surfboard and custom surf rack. 1982 United Press Internat. (Nexis) 24 Nov. The main Waikiki thoroughfare..remained flooded and littered with debris... Along the beach, surf racks and paddle boats were strewn about in haphazard fashion. 2000 L. Lueras & L. Lueras Surfing Hawaii 124 My early morning adventures would usually begin with the unlocking of my 9′ 6″ Hobie from the surf rack next to the Reef Hotel. 2009 D. Winslow Gentlemen's Hour 56 The locals know each other's rides, and if a strange car with a surf rack is parked there, that vehicle and its driver could have a problem. surf rat n. Surfing slang a (young) surfer. ΚΠ 1909 Sydney Sportsman 3 Feb. 5/3 Some of the surf rats followed his [sc. a shark's] course along a good length of the beach. 2002 T. Pinchuck et al. Rough Guide S. Afr. (ed. 3) 365 In the surfing pecking order, the rising stars are ‘grommets’ or ‘surf rats’, 16- or 17-year-olds who challenge the ‘old bullets’—the 20- or 30-somethings whom they consider to be over the hill. surf report n. a report of current surfing conditions delivered via radio, the internet, etc. ΚΠ 1969 Corpus Christi (Texas) Times 27 June 6 b/1 (advt.) Listen to the surf report on KEYS, 1440. 2011 K. Grange Beneath Blossom Rain 324 I didn't even have to look at the surf report to know waves would be windblown and terrible. surf safari n. = surfari n. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > water sports except racing > surfing > [adjective] > journey made by surfers surfing safari1962 surf safari1962 surfari1963 1959 Pasadena (Calif.) Independent 30 Apr. 24/1 The film ‘Surf Safari’ will be shown Saturday..at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.] 1962 Austral. Women's Weekly 24 Oct. (Suppl.) 3/4 Surf safari, a trip around different beaches to find a good surf. 2010 D. Helvarg Saved by Sea iv. 79 My first Salvador surf safari was a Sunday excursion south of La Libertad to the beach at La Zunganera. surf shop n. originally U.S. a shop which sells clothing and equipment for the beach; (in later use) spec. a shop which sells surfing equipment, clothing, etc. ΚΠ 1918 Boston Sunday Globe 23 June 12/2 (advt.) The realistic stage setting of ocean and beach in our surf shop. 1967 N.Y. Times Mag. 16 July 15/2 He heard the call of the surf, quit his job, divorced his wife and went off to Hawaii. When he came back, he opened a surf shop at Cocoa Beach. 2010 P. Jarratt Salts & Suits vii. 96 By 1968 there were surf shops all around the Australian coast, even in places where there was little or no prospect of surfing. surf shorts n. originally U.S. shorts designed to be worn at the beach; swimming trunks; (in later use) spec. = board shorts n. at board n. Additions. ΚΠ 1947 Syracuse (N.Y.) Herald-Jrnl. 8 June 9/1 (advt.) Surf shorts to match the gay checked beach coats make the best looking outfits on the beach. 1989 Observer 25 June 35/1 Children's, women's and menswear departments in most large stores now sell jams (neon-patterned surf shorts). 2002 C. Hiaasen Basket Case xx. 184 He's wearing Oakley cutaways, baggy surf shorts and an oversized Ken Griffey Jr. jersey. surf ski n. originally Australian a type of long, narrow, lightweight kayak designed for travelling through surf at speed. ΚΠ 1933 Sydney Morning Herald 6 Sept. 17/5 Mr. R. Michaelis invited the gear committee to visit Cronulla and inspect a ‘surf-ski’, which..seemed to possess great possibilities for life saving purposes. 1958 Life 21 Apr. 66/3 Shooting into the surf.., racing teams on surf skis dig in with double-bladed paddles. 1985 Courier-Mail (Brisbane) (Nexis) 21 Jan. MacDonald..demonstrated why he is also considered one of the finest surf ski paddlers in the world when he won the surf ski race. 2012 K. Howells Gratitude in Educ. vi. 90 He would start his day at dawn and paddle out on his surf ski with a few mates. surf skiing n. originally Australian the action or sport of paddling a surf ski. ΚΠ 1936 Queenslander 31 Dec. 25/2 (caption) Although the thrills of surf-skiing were missing, this youth was evidently enjoying himself in this mountain pool. 1951 Times 7 Dec. 6/7 (headline) Surf skiing champion killed by shark. 2006 F. McIntosh & T. Richman Don't climb Kilimanjaro 42 Surf skiing is a great fitness alternative to gym or jogging because it gets you onto the ocean and away from it all. surf-speak n. the language or jargon used by or associated with surfers; = surf talk n. ΚΠ 1986 Glenn Falls (N.Y.) Post Star 10 Oct. 4/5 Spicoli says, in his most eloquent surf-speak, ‘Oh, I get it. Our forefathers left their homelands because the laws there were bogus.’ 2010 S. Casey Wave 95 A pack of kids trailed after him. In surf-speak these skinny, mop-haired urchins of the waves are known as grommets, or groms for short. surf spot n. Surfing an area of coastline where waves regularly break in a manner suitable for surfing. ΚΠ 1960 Surfer Contents Surfing map... A guide to Southern California surf spots. 1998 Business Wire (Nexis) 1 Apr. A famous big-wave surf spot off the Half Moon Bay south of San Francisco. 2008 B. Marcus Extreme Surf 62 Pipeline was first surfed in 1961..and for most of the last four decades it was regarded as the most dangerous, challenging surf spot in the world. surf swimmer n. (in early use) = surfer n. 1a (now rare); (later more generally) a person skilled at swimming in rough surf. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > water sports except racing > surfing > [noun] > surfer surf swimmera1829 surf-rider1851 surfer1907 surfboarder1909 a1829 I. Taylor Ship (1830) Index 173/2 Surf Swimmers. 1845 P. H. Gosse Ocean (1849) vi. 283 The cry of ‘A Shark!’ among the surf swimmers will instantly set them in the utmost terror. 1925 Science 20 Feb. 207/2 The idea of a..dangerous seaward undertow comes more from the excited imagination of unpracticed bathers than from the deliberate observation of good surf swimmers. 2010 Post & Courier (Charleston, S. Carolina) (Nexis) 24 July b2 Only experienced surf swimmers who know how to escape a rip current should enter the water. surf swimming n. (in early use) = surfing n. 2a; (later more generally) the action or practice of swimming in surf. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > water sports except racing > surfing > [noun] surf swimming1829 surf-riding1854 surfing1896 surfboarding1903 surf1917 sport of kings1935 kitesurfing1995 1829 W. Ellis Polynesian Res. I. xi. 307 Besides the faahee, or surf-swimming, in which the adults principally engaged, there were a number of aquatic pastimes peculiar to the children. 1908 B. Thomson Fijians xxv. 316 No swimming-board or float is ever used..in surf swimming, except by children in their play. 2010 Newcastle (Austral.) Herald (Nexis) 24 June 30 While surf swimming was his forte, he started in still water when he won the Australian junior 110-yard championship as a 15-year-old. surf talk n. the language or jargon used by or associated with surfers; = surf-speak n. ΚΠ 1963 Ogden (Utah) Standard Examiner 17 July 12 b (advt.) Get your free surfer's dictionary. Lists definitions of surfing terms the ‘In-Group’ uses..so you'll speak Surf-Talk correctly. 2008 G. Kelly Green Room II 271 Rick left a message on Kyle's web site, ‘Cya on the lip’ (surf talk for the lip of a wave). surf wax n. wax applied to the deck of a surfboard to provide traction. ΚΠ 1965 Corpus Christi (Texas) Caller-Times 25 Apr. 18/2 (list) Custom made surf boards, surf wax, Rincon & Aloha car racks, [etc.]. 2009 A. Waeschle Chasing Waves 124 I tried to savour every wave, every sigh of contentment, every scent of the sea mixed with sunscreen and surf wax. surf zone n. the area of water lying between the shore and the surf line, characterized by white foamy water produced by breaking waves; cf. sense 2a. ΚΠ 1878 tr. C. B. Klunzinger Upper Egypt vi. 364 On the accessible portion of the surf zone [Ger. Brandungszone] the madrepore coral has become the prevailing coral. 1966 Redlands (Calif.) Daily Facts 20 Jan. 10/8 They [sc. gray whales] travel fairly close to shore, often within a few hundred yards or even into the surf zone. 2008 E. H. Schumann Patterns of Change vii. 76 He could see the moon lighting up the small white breakers in the surf zone of Algoa Bay. b. In the names of plants and animals, esp. birds and fishes. surfbird n. a small sandpiper, Aphriza virgata (family Scolopacidae), with dark upperparts and white underparts, breeding in the tundra of north-western North America. ΘΚΠ the world > animals > birds > order Charadriiformes > family Scolopacidae (snipes, etc.) > [noun] > unspecified and miscellaneous types of humility1634 simplicity1634 surfbird1839 spathe-bill1840 tilt-up1848 stilt sandpiper1872 1839 J. J. Audubon Ornithol. Biogr. V. 249 (heading) Townsend's Surf-bird. 1872 E. Coues Key to N. Amer. Birds 245 Aphriza, Surf Bird. 1930 Condor 32 72 A flock of twelve Surf-birds was discovered along the rocky beach at Ventura. 2002 G. M. Eberhart Mysterious Creatures II. 520/2 The Surfbird (Aphriza virgata ), a plain gray Pacific sandpiper with white underparts. surf clam n. any of several marine bivalve molluscs constituting the genus Spisula (family Mactridae) (also called triangle shell); esp. the large and edible S. solidissima of the west Atlantic, and S. solida of the north-east Atlantic. ΘΚΠ the world > animals > invertebrates > subkingdom Metazoa > grade Triploblastica or Coelomata > class Pelecypoda or Conchifera > [noun] > section Siphonida > sinu-pallialia > family Mactridae > member of horseshoe1775 hen clam1841 otter-shell1865 trough shell1867 surf clam1873 1873 A. E. Verrill in S. F. Baird Rep. Sea Fisheries S. Coast New Eng. 1871–2 (U.S. Comm. Fish & Fisheries) xviii. 358 But moderate-sized and young ‘surf-clams’ are by no means ill-flavored. 1949 R. J. Sim Pages from Past 65 The big surf clam, or skimmer (Mactra solidissima Chemn.), lies bedded down in great colonies off shore. 1978 Times 29 July 3/6 More than two weeks after the wreck..we saw millions of dead molluscs, urchins, razor and surf clams. 2002 New Yorker 9 Dec. 24 An amusebouche of wild surf clams, lightly poached, arrives on a bed of chrysanthemum petals. surf coot n. U.S. regional = surf duck n. ΘΚΠ the world > animals > birds > freshwater birds > order Anseriformes (geese, etc.) > subfamily Merginae (duck) > [noun] > genus Melanitta > melanitta perspicillata (surf-scoter) surf duck1814 surf scoter1833 butter-duck1853 surf coot1885 1885 H. Seebohm Hist. Brit. Birds III. 610 To the hunters on Long Island it [sc. the Surf-scoter] is known as the ‘Spectacled Coot’ and ‘Surf-Coot’. 1939 Techn. Bull. (U.S. Dept. Agric.) No. 643. 121 The surf scoter is variously known as patchhead, surf coot, surf duck, skunkhead, mussel bill, king coot, and bald-headed sea coot. 1974 R. Elman Hunter's Field Guide Game Birds & Animals N. Amer. ii. 250 Surf coots share the diet of American scoters. surf duck n. U.S. any scoter (sea duck) of the genus Melanitta; esp. the surf scoter, M. perspicillata. ΘΚΠ the world > animals > birds > freshwater birds > order Anseriformes (geese, etc.) > subfamily Merginae (duck) > [noun] > genus Melanitta > melanitta perspicillata (surf-scoter) surf duck1814 surf scoter1833 butter-duck1853 surf coot1885 1814 A. Wilson Amer. Ornithol. VIII. 49 Black, or Surf Duck, Anas perspicillata. 1888 G. Trumbull Names & Portraits Birds 103 Surf Duck... In Maine,..Patch-Head; in Massachusetts..and at Stonington, Conn., Patch-polled Coot. 1953 E. E. Clark Indian Legends of Pacific Northwest iii. 121 Later, Chief Wolf had a surf duck for Kwatee. 2007 C. L. Henderson Oology & Ralph's Talking Eggs vi. 82/1 White-winged Scoter... Historic Names: White-winged Coot, Sea Coot, Black Surf Duck, [etc.]. surf fish n. U.S. = surfperch n. ΘΚΠ the world > animals > fish > superorder Acanthopterygii (spiny fins) > order Perciformes (perches) > suborder Percoidei > [noun] > member of family Embiotocidae (surf-perch) surf fish1868 perch1882 surfperch1885 1868 T. F. Cronise Nat. Wealth Calif. 489 The first species only is an inhabitant of the interior rivers, the remainder being caught along the whole coast, and from their usual resorts on the open sea beaches, are often called ‘Surf Fish’. 1911 Fisheries U.S. 1908 (U.S. Bur. Census Special Rep.) 317 Surf-fish (Embiotocidae)... Also called..‘minny’..along their northern range. 2007 J. Cummings & N. G. Itoi Baja (ed. 7) 460/1 Most of the 25 or so species of surf fish weigh less than two kilograms (4.5 lbs) and are found along the Pacific coast. surf-grass n. any of several marine grasses of the genus Phyllospadix (family Zosteraceae), having thickened rootstocks and slender stems, and growing underwater on rocky shores in temperate regions. ΘΚΠ the world > plants > particular plants > plants and herbs > a grass or grasses > reedy or aquatic grasses > [noun] > other aquatic grasses reed-grass1597 marram1640 reed meadow grass1772 eel-grass1790 buttongrass1814 cutting grass1831 sea hard-grass1843 sea sand-reed1856 tape-grass1857 spinifex1877 surf-grass1923 1923 L. Abrams Illustr. Flora Pacific States I. 94 Phyllospadix torreyi S. Wats. Torrey's Surf-grass. 1970 Press-Telegram (Long Beach, Calif.) 11 June a15/1 Heavy biological damage occurred in the intertidal surf grass and barnacle populations as a result of the oil pollution. 2003 P. A. Munz et al. Introd. Shore Wildflowers Calif., Oregon, & Washington (rev. ed.) 132 In eel-grass, the leaves are one-twelfth to one-third inch wide, and in surf-grass, they are less than one-twelfth inch wide. surfperch n. any of various livebearing perciform fishes constituting the family Embiotocidae, frequenting coastal waters of the north Pacific. ΘΚΠ the world > animals > fish > superorder Acanthopterygii (spiny fins) > order Perciformes (perches) > suborder Percoidei > [noun] > member of family Embiotocidae (surf-perch) surf fish1868 perch1882 surfperch1885 1885 J. A. Ryder On Devel. Viviparous Osseous Fishes 138 This hypertrophy of the hind-gut and remarkable development of elongated villi in the embryos of the surf-perches has some important function to subserve during fetal life. 1969 Jrnl. Parasitol. 55 435 (title) A new Philichthyid copepod parasitic in the mucous canals of surfperches. 2004 Independent 21 Sept. 32/4 The young of some surfperches are born pretty much ready to reproduce. surf scoter n. a large sea duck, Melanitta perspicillata, the male of which is black with white patches on the head and a yellow bill, breeding in northern North America and seen occasionally in western Europe. ΘΚΠ the world > animals > birds > freshwater birds > order Anseriformes (geese, etc.) > subfamily Merginae (duck) > [noun] > genus Melanitta > melanitta perspicillata (surf-scoter) surf duck1814 surf scoter1833 butter-duck1853 surf coot1885 1833 P. J. Selby Illustr. Brit. Ornithol. II. 335 (heading) Surf scoter. Oidemia perspicillata, Flem. 1907 ‘N. Blanchan’ Birds Every Child should Know xviii. 270 The surf scoters, or black coots, so abundant off the Atlantic coast in winter, dive constantly to feed on mussels, clams or scallops. 1957 Auk 74 392 When diving without use of the wings a Surf Scoter will sometimes clear the surface of the water in a high arc. 2006 Bird Watching Aug. 115/1 An Osprey flew over Aberlady. A Surf Scoter was off Musselburgh. surf shiner n. U.S. rare the shiner perch, Cymatogaster aggregata (family Embiotocidae), a common small surfperch of the west coast of North America. ΚΠ 1905 D. S. Jordan Guide Study of Fishes II. xxi. 376 Cymatogaster aggregatus, the surf-shiner, is a little fish, excessively common along the California coast. surf smelt n. a marine smelt, Hypomesus pretiosus (family Osmeridae), of the west coast of North America, which spawns in the surf during the day.Originally confused with H. olidus, a freshwater species. ΘΚΠ the world > animals > fish > class Osteichthyes or Teleostomi > order Salmoniformes (salmon or trout) > [noun] > family Osmeridae(smelts) surf smelt1881 1881 J. G. Swan in Proc. U.S. National Mus. 1880 3 43 The Quillehute Indians, who collect and dry for winter use a very choice variety of smelt (Hypomesus olidus), which I have named the surf-smelt, from its peculiar habit of depositing its spawn among the shingle of the beach. 1931 Trans. Amer. Microsc. Soc. 50 154 Mr. Loosanoff found E[nchytraeus] pugetensis in great numbers among the decaying eggs of the Surf Smelt, Hypomesus pretiosus. 2002 P. B. Moyle Inland Fishes Calif. (rev. ed.) 227/2 Delta smelt is indeed a well-defined species and..it is most closely related to surf smelt. surf whiting n. U.S. the Gulf kingfish, Menticirrhus littoralis (family Sciaenidae), a silvery fish found close to the shores of the Gulf of Mexico and Florida. ΘΚΠ the world > animals > fish > superorder Acanthopterygii (spiny fins) > order Perciformes (perches) > family Sciaenidae (drums) > [noun] > member of genus Menticirrhus whiting1735 kingfish1815 surf whiting1877 tomcod1881 roundhead1890 1877 C. Hallock Sportsman's Gazetteer 396 (heading) Surf-whiting; shore whiting; barb.—Menticirrus littoralis. 1952 Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 104 130 The Surf whiting, M. littoralis (Holbrook), I have seined in the surf at Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. 2006 Courier-Mail (Brisbane) (Nexis) 13 Jan. (Today) 22 Three locations I fish and recommend for surf whiting in season are the southern half of Teewah Beach [etc.]. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2012; most recently modified version published online March 2022). surfv. Brit. /səːf/, U.S. /sərf/ Origin: Formed within English, by conversion. Etymon: surf n. Etymology: < surf n. In sense 4 after channel surf v.; compare slightly later surfer n. 2. †1. intransitive. Of waves, the sea, etc.: to form or become surf. Obsolete. rare. ΘΚΠ the world > the earth > water > flow or flowing > wave > foam or surf > form surf [verb (intransitive)] surf1787 1787 School of Virtue I. 15 He sat..carefully watching each succeeding wave that surfed on the adjacent beach. 1831 J. Wilson in Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. 29 141 The breakers surfing on a lee-shore. 1882 C. G. Leland Gypsies 356 We began our conversation, while the ocean, like an importunate beggar, surfed and foamed away. 2. a. intransitive. To ride or be carried on the crest of a breaking wave, esp. using a surfboard; to surfboard. Also transitive: to ride (a wave) in this way. Also figurative and in figurative contexts.In quot. 1891: transitive with it. ΘΚΠ society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > water sports except racing > surfing > surf-ride [verb (intransitive)] ride1874 surf-ride1888 surf1891 surfboard1908 1891 Cent. Mag. Apr. 867/2 Many of the latter were old sailors who had ‘surfed it’ on almost every coast of the world where the surf beats and breaks. 1901 Hawaiian Gaz. 22 Mar. 6/5 In the afternoon the midshipmen were sent out among the breakers canoeing and surfing. 1912 M. S. Lawrence Old Time Hawaiians & their Work ii. 85 In those days the boards were larger, and riders could change their position while surfing. a1957 R. Campbell Coll. Poems (1960) III. 83 Over its surge in red tornadoes rolling My heart goes surfing on the waves of fire. 1965 N.Z. Listener 17 Dec. 4/5 Once a person is bitten by this surfing bug he seems to become insatiable. He surfs every day he can, the whole year round. 1970 Motor Boat & Yachting 16 Oct. 29/1 La Russhe surfed handsomely down the backs of the heavy swell and buried herself into the short steep seas on the way. 1981 G. Benford in O. Davis Omni Bk. of Space 265 They can let the particles ‘surf’ on an electromagnetic wave. 2008 Courier Mail (Austral.) (Nexis) 25 Oct. 72 Lewis..managed to heave the man on to his rescue board then surf a wave into shore. b. transitive. To cause or allow (a boat) to ride the waves in this way. ΘΚΠ society > travel > travel by water > directing or managing a ship > direct or manage ship [verb (transitive)] > in specific manner shoota1450 run1533 to shoot toc1540 push1657 to crowd (a ship) off1743 sweat1890 surf1965 1965 P. L. Dixon Compl. Bk. Surfing 18 Dories, canoes, sailing catamarans, and a few special motorboats can be surfed by experts. Where waves break far from shore and spill gradually forward. 1998 Washington Post (Nexis) 9 Jan. d3 I went kayaking in the ocean and learned how to surf a poke boat into the shore. 2001 C. Mortlock Beyond Adventure iv. 49 There was now the double challenge of both sailing and surfing the boat at the same time. c. transitive. To surfboard at (a specified place). ΘΚΠ society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > water sports except racing > surfing > surf [verb (transitive)] ride1891 surf1967 1967 W. Murray Sweet Ride vi. 85 Ten years ago..no one surfed this place but him. 1968 Surfer Jan. 56/1 Paulo surfed a beach break off the famous Rio Copacabana called Posto Six Pier. 1990 Sunday Oregonian (Portland, Oregon) (Nexis) 7 Oct. t3 While the eastern side [of the bay] still can be surfed, there is no beach to land on. 2003 K. Slater & J. Borte Pipe Dreams (2004) iv. 65 We surfed a place called C Street, which was our first time riding a pointbreak. 3. a. intransitive. As the second element in compounds: to ride on the outside or roof of a moving train, car, etc. Cf. earlier surfing n. 2b. ΘΚΠ society > travel > transport > transport or conveyance in a vehicle > riding in a vehicle > ride a vehicle [verb (transitive)] > ride on roof or outside of moving vehicle ride1926 surf1985 surf1985 1985 Time 8 Apr. 37 Cars move slowly past the crowd, and when the passengers get restless they van surf (dance on roofs). 1995 J. A. Page Brazilians 12 Another may be found in the practice of young (mostly poor) people who ‘train surf’, or stand atop moving trains. 2000 B. Fenster Duh! i. 6 Boys plunged with eyes wide open into the realm of foolish defiance of fate when they continued to elevator surf. 2006 Houston Chron. (Electronic ed.) 25 Nov. 2 The Harris County Sheriff's Office said the teenager who drove while his friend tried to car surf on an SUV could be charged with criminally negligent homicide if the teen dies. b. transitive. To ride on the outside or roof of a moving train, car, etc. ΘΚΠ society > travel > rail travel > [verb (transitive)] > ride on the roof or outside of the train surf1985 society > travel > transport > transport or conveyance in a vehicle > riding in a vehicle > ride a vehicle [verb (transitive)] > ride on roof or outside of moving vehicle ride1926 surf1985 surf1985 1985 Billboard 15 June 30/5 The clip concludes with a shot of lead vocalist Stiv Bator ‘surfing a car’. No word on whether it was standard or automatic transmission. 1996 Focus Apr. 48 (caption) These kids in Rio de Janeiro risk their lives for the buzz of ‘surfing’ the local trains. 2004 E. Conlon Blue Blood i. 21 One day we had to check all the elevator cars for contraband, and a maintenance guy showed us how to surf the elevators, riding atop them as they shot up hundreds of feet through the shafts. 2007 S. Wales Echo (Nexis) 25 Apr. 13 Surfing trains is extremely dangerous and puts those responsible at a high risk of being killed. c. intransitive. To engage in surfing a train, car, etc. ΘΚΠ society > travel > rail travel > [verb (intransitive)] > on the roof or outside of the train surf1988 society > travel > transport > transport or conveyance in a vehicle > riding in a vehicle > ride in a vehicle [verb (intransitive)] > ride on roof or outside of moving vehicle surf1988 1988 Associated Press (Nexis) 22 June (headline) Brazilian youths go ‘surfing’ on train roofs. 1989 Times 21 Dec. 6/1 Her son..had been surfing on a train roof when he struck an overhead footbridge. 1996 Advertiser (Adelaide) (Nexis) 29 June Transit Squad police said the man may have been ‘surfing’ standing and riding on top of the train at the time. 2008 New Yorker 24 Nov. 91//2 His offenses were of the usual Animal House variety: flipping a truck on campus; breaking into the skating rink and playing naked hockey; ‘surfing’ on the roof of a Winnebago. 4. Computing. a. transitive. To visit successively (a series of internet sites); to use (the internet); to seek information about (a topic) on the internet. ΚΠ 1992 Re: Size Limits for Text Files? in alt.gopher (Usenet newsgroup) 25 Feb. There is a lot to be said for..surfing the internet with gopher from anywhere that you can find a phone jack. 1994 Guardian 28 Oct. i. 22/4 It costs 20 times as much to ‘surf’ the world-wide Internet in Germany as it does in the US. 1997 ‘Q’ Deadmeat 379 You get a lot of kids surfing the Net. It's a pastime, getting more popular by the day. 2005 N.Y. Times 17 July v. 3/2 As I surfed nonstop coverage of the bombings on CNN, BBC, and Sky News,..it was all terrorism all the time. 2007 J. E. Lloyd Hot Summer Nights iv. 88 Trish had surfed the Net and found a few wholesalers who could help her stock the store. b. intransitive. To move from site to site on the internet, esp. to browse or skim through web pages. Also: to go to a particular website.Also as the second element of a compound, as web-surf. ΚΠ 1993 San Francisco Chron. 1 June c1/2 Millions of the world's most plugged-in people spend hours each week surfing at near-warp speed on a wave of information called the Internet. 1995 Chron. Higher Educ. 16 June a22/1 Our faculty, staff and students are champing at the bit to Web-surf from home and can't understand how local Internet service providers can do what we can't. 1997 Sunday Times 26 Oct. (Sport/Innovation section) 20/5 So if you surf to its page..it will give you 15% off your car insurance just for filling out the online forms. 2007 G. F. Michelsen Mettle v. 60 Dowie, who had surfed every spare minute he got, through school weekends and vacations when he could have found a paying job, might appreciate that conceit. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2012; most recently modified version published online March 2022). < n.1606v.1787
随便看	chilce child child abuse child abuser child actor child actress child advocate child allowance child angel child art child battering child benefit child bird child brain child care child changed child culture child custody child destruction child development child etc of the soil child face child genius child guidance child guidance clinic

surfn.

Phrases

Compounds

surfv.