bow wave
noun1
The wave that forms at the bow of a ship as it moves through the water, and defines the outer limits of the ship's wake.
- But in the half light of dawn, at about half past four, a destroyer came towards them from the west, throwing a deep, feathery bow wave of white foam aside as she cut through the water, bearing down on them.1942, Neville Shute, chapter 11, in Pied Piper, New York: William Morrow & Co:
- "They are not able to service every railway contract going to the market at the same time. It creates an artificial bow-wave of work and in some cases, like TransPennine, the nature of the infrastructure work means we want some continuity," he said.2022 April 20, “Network News: MPs pursue updates on progress of National Rail Contracts”, in RAIL, number 955, page 17: