oscillate
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os·cil·late

intransitive verb \ˈä-sə-ˌlāt\
os·cil·lat·edos·cil·lat·ing

Definition of OSCILLATE

1
a : to swing backward and forward like a pendulum
b : to move or travel back and forth between two points
2
: to vary between opposing beliefs, feelings, or theories
3
: to vary above and below a mean value
os·cil·la·to·ry \ˈä-sə-lə-ˌtr-ē\ adjective

Origin of OSCILLATE

Latin oscillatus, past participle of oscillare to swing, from oscillum swing
First Known Use: 1726

Other Physics Terms

amplitude, centrifugal, centripetal, convection, gradient, hysteresis, kinetic, lase, quantum

Rhymes with OSCILLATE

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os·cil·late

intransitive verb \ˈäs-ə-ˌlāt\   (Medical Dictionary)
os·cil·lat·edos·cil·lat·ing

Medical Definition of OSCILLATE

1
: to swing backward and forward like a pendulum
2
: to move or travel back and forth between two points
os·cil·la·to·ry \ˈäs-ə-lə-ˌtōr-ē, -ˌtr-\ adjective

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