vibrate

Verb

WordNet 3.0

Verb (5)

  1. shake, quiver, or throb; move back and forth rapidly, usually in an uncontrolled manner
  2. move or swing from side to side regularly“the needle on the meter was oscillating”Synonyms: oscillate
  3. be undecided about something; waver between conflicting positions or courses of action“He oscillates between accepting the new position and retirement”Synonyms: hovervacillateoscillate
  4. sound with resonance“The sound resonates well in this theater”Synonyms: resonate
  5. feel sudden intense sensation or emotion“he was thrilled by the speed and the roar of the engine”Synonyms: thrilltickle
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Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Vibrate \Vi"brate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Vibrated; p. pr. & vb. n. Vibrating.] [L. vibratus, p. p. of vibrare, v. t. & v. i., to shake, brandish, vibrate; akin to Skr. vip to tremble, Icel. veifa to wave, vibrate. See Waive and cf. Whip, v. t.]

1.To brandish; to move to and fro; to swing; as, to vibrate a sword or a staff. [1913 Webster]

2.To mark or measure by moving to and fro; as, a pendulum vibrating seconds. [1913 Webster]

3.To affect with vibratory motion; to set in vibration. [1913 Webster]

Breath vocalized, that is, vibrated or undulated, may . . . impress a swift, tremulous motion.— Holder.[1913 Webster]
Star to star vibrates light.— Tennyson.[1913 Webster]

Vibrate \Vi"brate\, v. i.

1.To move to and fro, or from side to side, as a pendulum, an elastic rod, or a stretched string, when disturbed from its position of rest; to swing; to oscillate. [1913 Webster]

2.To have the constituent particles move to and fro, with alternate compression and dilation of parts, as the air, or any elastic body; to quiver. [1913 Webster]

3.To produce an oscillating or quivering effect of sound; as, a whisper vibrates on the ear. --Pope. [1913 Webster]

4.To pass from one state to another; to waver; to fluctuate; as, a man vibrates between two opinions. [1913 Webster]

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