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Surge vs Contingent - What's the difference?

surge | contingent |

As nouns the difference between surge and contingent

is that surge is a sudden transient rush, flood or increase while contingent is an event which may or may not happen; that which is unforeseen, undetermined, or dependent on something future; a contingency.

As a verb surge

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

As an adjective contingent is

possible or liable, but not certain to occur; incidental; casual.

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

    * * ----

    contingent

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An event which may or may not happen; that which is unforeseen, undetermined, or dependent on something future; a contingency.
  • That which falls to one in a division or apportionment among a number; a suitable share; proportion;
  • a quota of troops.
  • * 2014 , Ian Black, " Courts kept busy as Jordan works to crush support for Isis", The Guardian , 27 November 2014:
  • Arrests and prosecutions intensified after Isis captured Mosul in June, but the groundwork had been laid by an earlier amendment to Jordan’s anti-terrorism law. It is estimated that 2,000 Jordanians have fought and 250 of them have died in Syria – making them the third largest Arab contingent in Isis after Saudi Arabians and Tunisians.

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Possible or liable, but not certain to occur; incidental; casual.
  • (with upon ) Dependent on something that is undetermined or unknown.
  • The success of his undertaking is contingent upon events which he can not control.
  • Dependent on something that may or may not occur.
  • a contingent estate
  • Not logically necessarily true or false.
  • Synonyms

    * (possible but not certain to occur) incidental

    Antonyms

    * (possible but not certain to occur) certain, inevitable, necessary, impossible

    Anagrams

    * ----