Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - surf

 I. noun  Etymology: origin unknown  Date: 1685  1. the swell of the sea that breaks upon the shore  2. the foam, splash, and sound of breaking waves  II. verb  Date: 1917  intransitive verb  1. to ride the ~ (as on a ~board)  2. to scan a wide range of offerings for something of interest  transitive verb to scan the offerings of (as television or the Internet) for something of interest  • ~er noun