wave

{{11}}wave (n.) "moving billow of water," 1520s, from WAVE (Cf. wave) (v.), replacing M.E. waw, which is from O.E. wagian "to move to and fro" (Cf. O.S., O.H.G. wag, O.Fris. weg, O.N. vagr "water in motion, wave, billow," Goth. wegs "tempest;" see WAG (Cf. wag) (v.)). The usual O.E. word for "moving billow of water" was yð. The "hand motion" meaning is recorded from 1680s; meaning "undulating line" is recorded from 1660s. Of people in masses, first recorded 1852; in physics, from 1832. Sense in heat wave is from 1843. The crowd stunt in stadiums is attested under this name from 1984, the thing itself said to have been done first Oct. 15, 1981, at the Yankees-A's AL championship series game in the Oakland Coliseum; soon picked up and popularized at University of Washington. To make waves "cause trouble" is attested from 1962.

{{12}}wave (v.) "move back and forth," O.E. wafian "to wave with the hands" (related to wæfre "wavering, restless"), from P.Gmc. *wab- (Cf. O.N. vafra "to hover about," M.H.G. waben "to wave, undulate"), from PIE root *webh- "to move to and fro, to weave" (see WEAVE (Cf. weave)). Meaning "to make a sign by a wave of the hand" is from 1510s.