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Surge vs Surplus - What's the difference?

surge | surplus |

As nouns the difference between surge and surplus

is that surge is a sudden transient rush, flood or increase while surplus is that which remains when use or need is satisfied, or when a limit is reached; excess; overplus.

As a verb surge

is to rush, flood, or increase suddenly.

As an adjective surplus is

being or constituting a surplus; more than sufficient; as, surplus revenues; surplus population; surplus words.

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.

    • Related terms

    * source

    References

    * * * FM 55-501

    Anagrams

    * * ----

    surplus

    English

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • That which remains when use or need is satisfied, or when a limit is reached; excess; overplus.
  • Specifically, an amount in the public treasury at any time greater than is required for the ordinary purposes of the government.
  • (legal) The remainder of a fund appropriated for a particular purpose.
  • (legal) assets left after liabilities and debts, including capital stock have been deducted.

    • Antonyms

    * lack * deficit

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Being or constituting a surplus; more than sufficient; as, surplus revenues; surplus population; surplus words.
  • * {{quote-magazine, title=A better waterworks, date=2013-06-01, volume=407, issue=8838
    • , page=5 (Technology Quarterly), magazine=(The Economist) citation , passage=An artificial kidney these days still means a refrigerator-sized dialysis machine. Such devices mimic the way real kidneys cleanse blood and eject impurities and surplus water as urine.}}