vibrate

- 2 dictionary results

vi⋅brate

[vahy-breyt]

verb, -brat⋅ed, -brat⋅ing.

–verb (used without object)

1.	to move rhythmically and steadily to and fro, as a pendulum; oscillate.

2.	to move to and fro or up and down quickly and repeatedly; quiver; tremble.

3.	(of sounds) to produce or have a quivering or vibratory effect; resound.

4.	to thrill, as in emotional response.

5.	to move between alternatives or extremes; fluctuate; vacillate.

–verb (used with object)

6.	to cause to move rhythmically and steadily to and fro, swing, or oscillate.

7.	to cause to move to and fro or up and down quickly and repeatedly; cause to quiver or tremble.

8.	to give forth or emit by, or as by, vibration.

9.	to measure or indicate by vibration or oscillation: a pendulum vibrating seconds.

Origin:
1610–20; < L vibrātus (ptp. of vibrāre to move to and fro); see -ate ¹

Related forms:

vi⋅brat⋅ing⋅ly, adverb

Synonyms:
2. See shake. 3. echo.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source

vi·brate (vī'brāt')

v. vi·brat·ed, vi·brat·ing, vi·brates

v. intr.

To move back and forth or to and fro, especially rhythmically and rapidly. See Synonyms at swing.
To feel a quiver of emotion.
To shake or move with or as if with a slight quivering or trembling motion: "Even as the film moved . . . to the more deadly fields of Vietnam, old hatreds vibrated in me" (Loudon Wainwright).
To produce a sound; resonate.
To fluctuate or waver in making choices; vacillate.

v. tr.

[Latin vibrāre, vibrāt-; see weip- in Indo-European roots.]
vi'bra·tive, vi'bra·to'ry (-brə-tôr'ē, -tōr'ē) adj.

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