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Brownout vs Surge - What's the difference?

brownout | surge |

As nouns the difference between brownout and surge

is that brownout is a period of low alternating current line voltage, causing a reduction in illumination while surge is a sudden transient rush, flood or increase.

As a verb surge is

(lb) to rush, flood, or increase suddenly.

brownout

Alternative forms

* brown out, brown-out

Noun

(en noun)
  • A period of low alternating current line voltage, causing a reduction in illumination
  • When demand for electricity exceeds the available supply, a brownout occurs.
  • Temporary dimming of vision, usually with a brown hue and accompanied by loss of peripheral vision or tunnel vision.
  • On rising suddenly from her chair she experienced a brownout and had to sit down again quickly.
  • Temporary closing of a fire station, usually due to budget restrictions.
  • Fire departments across the country have been forced to rely on rolling brownouts because of the recession.
  • a power outage during the day; distinguished from a blackout, which occurs at night
  • Usage notes

    A (rolling brownout) describes a deliberate reduction in voltage (for sense 1) or of firefighting (for sense 3) in multiple service areas at staggered times.

    Synonyms

    * grayout, greyout

    Coordinate terms

    * blackout

    See also

    * whiteout

    surge

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A sudden transient rush, flood or increase.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2012, date=November 7, author=Matt Bai, title=Winning a Second Term, Obama Will Confront Familiar Headwinds, work=New York Times citation
  • , passage=As President Obama turns his attention once again to filling out a cabinet and writing an Inaugural Address, this much is clear: he should not expect to bask in a surge of national unity, or to witness a crowd of millions overrun the Mall just to say they were there.}}
  • The maximum amplitude of a vehicle's forward/backward oscillation
  • He felt a surge of excitement.
  • (electricity) A sudden electrical spike or increase of voltage and current.
  • A power surge at that generator created a blackout across the whole district.
  • (nautical) The swell or heave of the sea. (FM 55-501).
  • * Bible, James i. 6
  • He that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed.
  • * Dryden
  • He flies aloft, and, with impetuous roar, / Pursues the foaming surges to the shore.
  • (obsolete) A spring; a fountain.
  • * Ld. Berners
  • divers surges and springs of water
  • The tapered part of a windlass barrel or a capstan, upon which the cable surges, or slips.
  • Synonyms

    * inrush

    Derived terms

    * countersurge * surgeless

    Verb

    (surg)
  • (lb) To rush, flood, or increase suddenly.
  • :
  • *
  • *:Carried somehow, somewhither, for some reason, on these surging floods, were these travelers, of errand not wholly obvious to their fellows, yet of such sort as to call into query alike the nature of their errand and their own relations.
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2013-03, author=David S. Senchina, volume=101, issue=2, page=134
  • , magazine=(American Scientist) , title= Athletics and Herbal Supplements , passage=Athletes' use of herbal supplements has skyrocketed in the past two decades. At the top of the list of popular herbs are echinacea and ginseng, whereas garlic, St. John's wort, soybean, ephedra and others are also surging in popularity or have been historically prevalent.}}
  • To accelerate forwards, particularly suddenly.
  • :
  • *{{quote-news, year=2011, date=September 2, work=BBC
  • , title= Wales 2-1 Montenegro , passage=Wales began the second half as they ended the first, closing down Montenegro quickly and the pressure told as Bale surged into the box and pulled the ball back for skipper Ramsey, arriving on cue, to double their lead.}}
  • To slack off a line.
  • References

    * * * FM 55-501

    Anagrams

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