an overwhelming manifestation of some emotion or phenomenon
"a tidal wave of nausea"
"the flood of letters hit him with the force of a tidal wave"
"a tidal wave of crime"
an unusual (and often destructive) rise of water along the seashore caused by a storm or a combination of wind and high tide
a wave resulting from the periodic flow of the tides that is caused by the gravitational attraction of the moon and sun
A large and sudden rise and fall in the tide.