oscillate
verb /ˈɒsɪleɪt/
/ˈɑːsɪleɪt/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they oscillate | /ˈɒsɪleɪt/ /ˈɑːsɪleɪt/ |
| he / she / it oscillates | /ˈɒsɪleɪts/ /ˈɑːsɪleɪts/ |
| past simple oscillated | /ˈɒsɪleɪtɪd/ /ˈɑːsɪleɪtɪd/ |
| past participle oscillated | /ˈɒsɪleɪtɪd/ /ˈɑːsɪleɪtɪd/ |
| -ing form oscillating | /ˈɒsɪleɪtɪŋ/ /ˈɑːsɪleɪtɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive] oscillate (between A and B) (formal) to keep changing from one extreme of feeling or behaviour to another, and back again synonym swing
- Her moods oscillated between depression and elation.
- her wildly oscillating moods
- [intransitive] (physics) to keep moving from one position to another and back again
- Watch how the needle on the dial oscillates.
- [intransitive] (physics) (of an electric current, radio waves, etc.) to change in strength or direction at regular intervals
- The current oscillates between magnetic poles.
Word Originearly 18th cent.: from Latin oscillat- ‘swung’, from the verb oscillare.