Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Vibrate?

\Vi"brate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Vibrate}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Vibrating}.] [L. vibratus, p. p. of vibrare, v. t. & v. i., to snake, 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. 2. To mark or measure by moving to and fro; as, a pendulum vibrating seconds. 3. To affect with vibratory motion; to set in vibration. Breath vocalized, that is, vibrated or undulated, may . . . impress a swift, tremulous motion. --Holder. Star to star vibrates light. --Tennyson.
\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. 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. 3. To produce an oscillating or quivering effect of sound; as, a whisper vibrates on the ear. --Pope. 4. To pass from one state to another; to waver; to fluctuate; as, a man vibrates between two opinions.