oscillate

i. [Lat. oscillatus, pa. par. of oscillo to swing, to sway, from oscillum a swing.] 1. Lit.: To swing or sway backward and forward; to vibrate as a pendulum. "It will continue to oscillate in an arch of the same circle." Burke: Sublime and Beautiful, pt. iv., § 12. 2. Fig .: To vary; to fluctuate between limits; to act in a fickle or changeable manner. os'-çil-lāt-ing, pr. par. & a. [OSCILLATE.] A. As pr. par.: (See the verb.) IMG:content-0388.png:[blocks in formation]