Vibrate

//ˈvaɪ.bɹeɪt// adj, noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Vibrating with (something). rare
Noun
  1. 1
    The setting, on a portable electronic device, that causes it to vibrate rather than sound any (or most) needed alarms. uncountable

    "Please put your cellphones on vibrate for the duration of the meeting."

Verb
  1. 1
    To shake with small, rapid movements to and fro. intransitive

    "When "God save the King!" resounded meow meow through the stately abbey, the banners vibrating with the mighty music, I felt quite enthusiastic in my loyalty."

  2. 2
    feel sudden intense sensation or emotion wordnet
  3. 3
    To resonate. intransitive

    "Her mind was vibrating with excitement."

  4. 4
    move or swing from side to side regularly wordnet
  5. 5
    To brandish; to swing to and fro. transitive

    "to vibrate a sword or a staff"

Show 8 more definitions
  1. 6
    shake, quiver, or throb; move back and forth rapidly, usually in an uncontrolled manner wordnet
  2. 7
    To mark or measure by moving to and fro. transitive

    "a pendulum vibrating seconds"

  3. 8
    sound with resonance wordnet
  4. 9
    To affect with vibratory motion; to set in vibration. transitive

    "Breath vocalized, i.e., vibrated or undulated, may […] impress a swift, tremulous motion."

  5. 10
    be undecided about something; waver between conflicting positions or courses of action wordnet
  6. 11
    To please or impress someone. dated, slang, transitive

    "And if he wants to give you high praise, he'll answer, "That vibrates me"; "That has a large charge"; or "That's oogley.""

  7. 12
    To use vibrato. intransitive
  8. 13
    To pleasure someone using a vibrator. slang, transitive

    "Downstairs in the living-room Jill Was vibrating herself for a thrill."

Etymology

Etymology 1

The adjective (then also used as a participle) is first attested in 1420, in Middle English, the verb in 1620; partly from Middle English vibrat(e) (“reverberant”), partly directly borrowed from Latin vibrātus, perfect passive participle of vibrō (“to agitate, set in tremulous motion”) (see -ate (etymology 1, 2 and 3)), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *weyp- (“to oscillate, swing”) or *weyb-.

Etymology 2

The adjective (then also used as a participle) is first attested in 1420, in Middle English, the verb in 1620; partly from Middle English vibrat(e) (“reverberant”), partly directly borrowed from Latin vibrātus, perfect passive participle of vibrō (“to agitate, set in tremulous motion”) (see -ate (etymology 1, 2 and 3)), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *weyp- (“to oscillate, swing”) or *weyb-.

Etymology 3

The adjective (then also used as a participle) is first attested in 1420, in Middle English, the verb in 1620; partly from Middle English vibrat(e) (“reverberant”), partly directly borrowed from Latin vibrātus, perfect passive participle of vibrō (“to agitate, set in tremulous motion”) (see -ate (etymology 1, 2 and 3)), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *weyp- (“to oscillate, swing”) or *weyb-.

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