oscillate

oscillate
[[t]ɒ̱sɪleɪt[/t]]
oscillates, oscillating, oscillated
1) VERB If an object oscillates, it moves repeatedly from one position to another and back again, or keeps getting bigger and smaller. [FORMAL]

I checked to see if the needle indicating volume was oscillating.

Derived words:
oscillation [[t]ɒ̱sɪle͟ɪʃ(ə)n[/t]] plural N-VAR

Some oscillation of the fuselage had been noticed on early flights.

2) VERB: no passive If the level or value of something oscillates between one amount and another, it keeps going up and down between the two amounts. [FORMAL]

[V between pl-amount] The lira oscillated between 840 and 850 lire to the mark...

Oil markets oscillated on the day's reports from Geneva.

[V-ing] ...an oscillating signal of microwave frequency.

Syn:
Derived words:
oscillation plural N-VAR

There have always been slight oscillations in world temperature.

3) VERB: no passive If you oscillate between two moods, attitudes, or types of behaviour, you keep changing from one to the other and back again. [FORMAL]

[V between n and n] The president of the Republic oscillated between a certain audacity and a prudent realism.

Derived words:
oscillation N-UNCOUNT

...that perpetual oscillation between despair and distracted joy.


English dictionary. 2008.

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  • oscillate — os‧cil‧late [ˈɒsleɪt ǁ ˈɑː ] verb [intransitive] to move regularly between two limits or states: • The trade balance used to oscillate between surplus and deficit. oscillation noun [countable, uncountable] * * * oscillate UK US /ˈɒsɪleɪt/ verb… …   Financial and business terms

  • oscillate — [äs′ə lāt΄] vi. oscillated, oscillating [< L oscillatus, pp. of oscillare, to swing < oscillum, a swing] 1. to swing or move regularly back and forth 2. to be indecisive in purpose or opinion; vacillate 3. Physics to vary regularly between… …   English World dictionary

  • Oscillate — Os cil*late ([o^]s s[i^]l*l[=a]t), v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Oscillated} ([o^]s s[i^]l*l[=a] t[e^]d); p. pr. & vb. n. {Oscillating} ([o^]s s[i^]l*l[=a] t[i^]ng).] [L. oscillare to swing, fr. oscillum a swing, a little mask or puppet made to be hung… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • oscillate — I verb agitari, agitate, alternate, be doubtful, be indecisive, be irresolute, be uncertain, be undecided, be undetermined, be unresolved, be unsteady, be unsure, beat, bounce, debate, deliberate, falter, flap, fluctuate, flutter, fret, hesitate …   Law dictionary

  • oscillate — 1726, from L. oscillat , pp. stem of oscillare (see OSCILLATION (Cf. oscillation)). 1917 in electronics. Related: Oscillated; oscillating …   Etymology dictionary

  • oscillate — *swing, sway, vibrate, fluctuate, pendulate, waver, undulate Analogous words: vacillate, waver, *hesitate, falter: *shake, tremble, quiver, quaver …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • oscillate — [v] change back and forth be unsteady, dangle, fishtail, flicker, fluctuate, librate, lurch, palpitate, pendulate, pitch, pivot, reel, ripple, rock, roll, seesaw, stagger, sway, swing, switch, swivel, teeter, teeter totter*, thrash, toss, totter …   New thesaurus

  • oscillate — ► VERB 1) move or swing back and forth at a regular rate. 2) waver between extremes of opinion or emotion. DERIVATIVES oscillation noun oscillator noun oscillatory adjective. ORIGIN Latin oscillare to swing …   English terms dictionary

  • oscillate — os|cil|late [ˈɔsıleıt US ˈa: ] v [Date: 1700 1800; : Latin; Origin: , past participle of oscillare [i] to swing , from oscillum swing ] 1.) formal to keep changing between two extreme amounts or limits ▪ The stock market is oscillating wildly at… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • oscillate — UK [ˈɒsɪleɪt] / US [ˈɑsɪˌleɪt] verb [intransitive] Word forms oscillate : present tense I/you/we/they oscillate he/she/it oscillates present participle oscillating past tense oscillated past participle oscillated 1) a) physics to move… …   English dictionary

  • oscillate — v. (D; intr.) to oscillate between * * * [ ɒsɪleɪt] (D; intr.) to oscillate between …   Combinatory dictionary

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