vibrate

/'vaibrənt/
Học thuật
Thân thiện
vibrate

The phone began to vibrate on the wooden desk.

Definition
  1. Verb:
    • To move back and forth or to and fro rapidly and repeatedly; to oscillate: This is the core physical meaning, describing a quick, often small, shaking or quivering motion.
    • To produce or be filled with a continuous, slightly shaking sound; to resonate: Describes a sound that seems to shake or quiver in the air.
    • To feel or be filled with a strong, quivering emotion: Used figuratively to describe an intense emotional sensation that feels like a physical vibration.
    • To waver between different states, opinions, or feelings; to oscillate: Describes a mental or emotional state that is unsteady or fluctuating.
Usage Examples
  • Physical Motion:
    • The phone vibrated silently on the wooden table.
    • The guitar string continued to vibrate long after it was plucked.
  • Sound:
    • The deep bass note made the entire room vibrate.
    • Her voice vibrated with passion as she spoke.
  • Emotion:
    • He could feel the excitement vibrating through the crowd.
    • She vibrated with anger at the unfair accusation.
  • Wavering State:
    • His confidence vibrated between extreme arrogance and deep insecurity.
Advanced Usage
  • "to vibrate with": To be filled with and physically or audibly express a strong emotion or quality.
    • The air vibrated with tension before the announcement.
  • Technical/Scientific Context: In physics, "vibrate" describes the periodic motion of an object about an equilibrium point.
    • Atoms vibrate even at absolute zero due to quantum mechanical effects.
Variants and Related Words
  • Vibration (n): The act of vibrating; a single instance of vibrating motion or sensation.
    • The vibration from the construction site was felt blocks away.
  • Vibrant (adj): Full of energy and life; pulsating. (Note: This is a related adjective but has a distinct, more figurative meaning).
    • She has a vibrant personality.
  • Vibratory (adj): Relating to or capable of vibration.
    • The machine uses a vibratory mechanism to sort materials.
Synonyms
  • Oscillate: To swing or move back and forth in a regular rhythm. (Often used in technical contexts).
  • Quiver: To shake with a slight, rapid motion. (Often due to emotion or cold).
  • Resonate: To produce or be filled with a deep, full, reverberating sound.
  • Pulsate: To expand and contract rhythmically; to throb.
Related Phrasal Verbs/Constructions

(Note: "Vibrate" is not commonly used with particles to form standard phrasal verbs. Its meaning is typically expressed directly or with prepositions like "with.")

Related Idioms
  • To set something vibrating: To cause something to shake or resonate.
    • The singer's powerful voice set the glasses vibrating on the shelf.
  • To vibrate to the frequency of something: To be in tune or harmony with something (often figurative).
    • The team seemed to vibrate to the same frequency, working together perfectly.
vibrate

The phone began to vibrate on the wooden desk.

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