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oscillate

Syllabification: (os·cil·late)
Pronunciation: /ˈäsəˌlāt/

Translate oscillate | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of oscillate

verb

[no object]
  • 1move or swing back and forth at a regular speed:a pendulum oscillates about its lowest point
  • [with adverbial] waver between extremes of opinion, action, or quality:he was oscillating between fear and bravery
  • 2 Physics vary in magnitude or position in a regular manner around a central point.
  • (of a circuit or device) cause the electric current or voltage running through it to behave in this way.

Derivatives

oscillatory

Pronunciation: /əˈsiləˌtôrē/

adjective

Origin:

early 18th century: from Latin oscillat- 'swung', from the verb oscillare

Spell oscillate with osci- at the beginning, then a double l.

oscillate in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of oscillate in the British & World English dictionary

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