1. [n]  a sudden or abrupt strong increase; "stimulated a surge of speculation"; "an upsurge of emotion"; "an upsurge in violent crime"
2. [n]  a large sea wave
3. [n]  a sudden forceful flow
4. [v]  rise or heave upward under the influence of a natural force, as on a wave
5. [v]  rise in waves
6. [v]  rise rapidly, as of a current or voltage
7. [v]  rise and move, as in waves or billows; "The army surged forward"

1. \Surge\, n. [L. surgere, surrectum, to raise, to rise; sub
   under + regere to direct: cf. OF. surgeon, sourgeon,
   fountain. See {Regent}, and cf. {Insurrection}, {Sortie},
   {Source}.]
   1. A spring; a fountain. [Obs.] ``Divers surges and springs
      of water.'' --Ld. Berners.
   
   2. A large wave or billow; a great, rolling swell of water,
      produced generally by a high wind.
   
            He that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven
            by the wind and tossed.               --James i. 6
                                                  (Rev. Ver.)
   
            He flies aloft, and, with impetuous roar, Pursues
            the foaming surges to the shore.      --Dryden.
   
   3. The motion of, or produced by, a great wave.
   
   4. The tapered part of a windlass barrel or a capstan, upon
      which the cable surges, or slips.
   
   

2. \Surge\, v. i.
   1. To swell; to rise hifg and roll.
   
            The surging waters like a mountain rise. --Spenser.
   
   2. (Naut.) To slip along a windlass.
   
   

3. \Surge\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Surged}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Surging}.] [Cf. F. surgir to cast anchor, to land. Cf.
   {Surge}, n.] (Naut.)
   To let go or slacken suddenly, as a rope; as, to surge a
   hawser or messenger; also, to slacken the rope about (a
   capstan).
   
   

Sorter, Updater, Report Generator, Etc. IBM 704, 1959. Sammet 1969, p.8.