From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
surge
n 1: a sudden forceful flow [syn: rush, spate, surge,
upsurge]
2: a sudden or abrupt strong increase; "stimulated a surge of
speculation"; "an upsurge of emotion"; "an upsurge in violent
crime" [syn: surge, upsurge]
3: a large sea wave [syn: billow, surge]
v 1: rise and move, as in waves or billows; "The army surged
forward" [syn: billow, surge, heave]
2: rise rapidly; "the dollar soared against the yen" [syn:
soar, soar up, soar upwards, surge, zoom]
3: rise or move forward; "surging waves" [syn: tide, surge]
[ant: ebb, ebb away, ebb down, ebb off, ebb out]
4: rise or heave upward under the influence of a natural force
such as a wave; "the boats surged" [syn: scend, surge]
5: see one's performance improve; "He levelled the score and
then surged ahead"