catch a wave

Definitions

1. 1

   To mount one's surfboard at a distance from shore, turn it toward land, and control it…

   To mount one's surfboard at a distance from shore, turn it toward land, and control it for a successful, satisfying ride on inrushing water.

   • Like surfers trying to catch a wave, balloonists try to ride jet streams.
   • As anyone who has ever caught a wave on her own knows, surfing is a profound confidence booster.
2. 2

   To derive benefit from a fortunate opportunity

   To derive benefit from a fortunate opportunity; to experience a sudden increase in energy or luck.

   • The size of his fortune, he said, revealed only that "we caught a wave. We were lucky. We had more luck than we deserved."
   • He did have one brief spell in the second set when he seemed to catch a wave, pounding his backhand and winning 11 of 14 points.

The neighborhood

• neighborride the wave