- shock
- {{Roman}}I.{{/Roman}} noun1 extreme surpriseADJECTIVE▪ awful (esp. BrE), big, considerable (esp. BrE), dreadful (esp. BrE), great, huge, major, massive, nasty, real, rude, terrible, tremendous▪
Drivers could be in for a nasty shock when they see the cost of renewing their insurance policies.
▪ absolute, complete, pure, total, utter (esp. AmE)▪ mild, slight▪ first, initial▪Once the initial shock had worn off, I got to like my new hairstyle.
▪ sudden▪ economic, emotional▪ culture▪It was a bit of a culture shock when I first came to this country.
▪ sticker (AmE)▪Customers may experience sticker shock when they see the prices of the new SUVs (= they may be shocked by the prices).
VERB + SHOCK▪ come as▪ feel, get, have, receive▪She felt shock that he would be capable of such an act.
▪I got a terrible shock when I saw him.
▪ give sb▪ be in for▪If you think it's going to be easy, you're in for a shock!
▪ die of (informal)▪I nearly died of shock when your mother appeared.
▪ get over, recover from▪ express▪ feign▪ imagine▪Imagine my shock when I saw them kissing!
SHOCK + NOUN▪ tactics▪ value▪The scene was clearly added for shock value.
▪ jock (informal, esp. AmE)▪radio shock jock Howard Stern
▪ troops▪ wave▪The news sent shock waves through the financial markets. (figurative)
▪ defeat, departure, exit (all BrE, sports)▪United suffered a shock defeat to Norwich.
▪ result, victory, win (all BrE, sports)▪ announcement, decision, resignation (all BrE)PREPOSITION▪ in shock▪She looked around in shock.
▪ with a shock▪She realized with a sudden shock that she was being followed.
▪ shock at, shock on▪her shock on seeing him with another woman
▪ shock to▪This news came as a great shock to me.
PHRASES▪ a bit of a shock, quite a shock, something of a shock▪ in a state of shock▪I think I'm still in a state of shock.
▪ a feeling of shock, a sense of shock▪ shock horror (BrE, humorous)▪The article reports on a celebrity who—shock horror—has gained weight!
▪ the shock of your life (informal)▪I got the shock of my life when she told me she was pregnant.
▪ a shock to the system (informal)▪The low salaries came as something of a shock to her system.
2 electric shockADJECTIVE▪ massive (esp. BrE), severe▪ mild▪He gave himself a mild electric shock while changing a light bulb.
▪ painful▪ electric (less often electrical)VERB + SHOCK▪ get, receive▪ give sb▪ administer▪The guards would administer electric shocks to the inmates.
SHOCK + NOUN▪ therapy3 extreme weakness caused by injury or shockADJECTIVE▪ deep, severe▪ mild▪ delayed (esp. BrE)▪ anaphylactic▪ shell▪soldiers suffering from shell shock
VERB + SHOCK▪ be in, be suffering from, suffer▪He was in deep shock after the accident.
▪ go into▪He had gone into shock and was shaking violently.
▪ be treated for{{Roman}}II.{{/Roman}}verbADVERB▪ deeply, really▪The news had shocked her deeply.
▪ easily▪He had old-fashioned ideas and was easily shocked.
PREPOSITION▪ into▪The news shocked her into action.
Shock is used with these nouns as the subject: ↑murder
Collocations dictionary. 2013.
