surf

Everyday

1. The white foamy waves that break on the shore. tree →
2. To ride on waves standing or lying on a board. tree →
3. (in «surf the internet / web») To look quickly from one website to another. tree →
4. (informal, in «channel-surf») To change TV channels quickly. tree →

In the lessons

In Australia, New Zealand, the US and parts of the UK and Ireland, surfing is a big beach sport; beaches have «surf lifesavers» and flags showing where it is safe to swim. In science and geography, waves and surf shape the coast. Online, «surf the web» means browse. Phrases: «surf's up», «surf the internet», «surf lifesaving», «go surfing», «heavy surf».

Examples

• We watched the surf crashing on the rocks. tree →
• My cousin learnt to surf at Bondi Beach. tree →
• The surf was too rough for swimming today. tree →
• I surfed the internet to find facts about whales. tree →
• Surf lifesavers keep people safe at the beach. tree →
• Always swim between the red and yellow flags when the surf is up. tree →
• They surfed for three hours in the morning. tree →
• It’s me,” said Kotick, bobbing in the surf and looking like a little white slug. tree →

Note

«Surf» (waves) sounds like «serf» (a poor farm worker in the past). As waves, «surf» is uncountable: «the surf is high». Safety: big surf can have rips (strong currents); swim only where lifeguards are and between the flags.