different between falter vs oscillate

English

Alternative forms

• faulter (archaic)

Etymology

From Middle English falteren (“to stagger”), further origin unknown. Possibly from a North Germanic source such as Old Norse faltrask (“be encumbered”). May also be a frequentative of fold, although the change from d to t is unusual.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?f??lt?(r)/, /?f?lt?(r)/

Noun

falter

1. unsteadiness.

Translations

Verb

falter (third-person singular simple present falters, present participle faltering, simple past and past participle faltered)

1. To waver or be unsteady; to weaken or trail off.
   • 1672, Richard Wiseman, A Treatise of Wounds

     He found his legs falter.
2. (transitive, intransitive) To stammer; to utter with hesitation, or in a weak and trembling manner.
   • 1807, Lord Byron, Childish Recollections

     And here he faltered forth his last farewell.
3. To fail in distinctness or regularity of exercise; said of the mind or of thought.
   • 1832, Isaac Taylor, Saturday Evening

     Here indeed the power of distinctly conceiving of space and distance falters.

4. To stumble.
5. (figuratively) To lose faith or vigor; to doubt or abandon (a cause).

   • And remember, comrades, your resolution must never falter.

6. To hesitate in purpose or action.
7. To cleanse or sift, as barley.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Halliwell to this entry?)

Translations

References

English

Etymology

From Latin ?scill?tus, perfect passive participle of Latin ?scill? (“swing”), from ?scillum (“a swing”), usually identified with ?scillum (“a little face or mask hung on a tree that sways with the wind”), diminutive of ?s (“mouth, face”).

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /??s?le?t/

Verb

oscillate (third-person singular simple present oscillates, present participle oscillating, simple past and past participle oscillated)

1. (intransitive) To swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm.

2. (intransitive) To vacillate between conflicting opinions, etc.

3. (intransitive) To vary above and below a mean value.

Synonyms

• vacillate

Derived terms

• oscillator

Related terms

• oscillation

Translations

See also

• undulate

Further reading

• oscillate in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• oscillate in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• oscillate at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• Tesla coil, lactisole, localites, teocallis

Italian

Verb

oscillate

1. second-person plural present indicative of oscillare
2. second-person plural imperative of oscillare
3. feminine plural of oscillato

Anagrams

• alcoliste
• costellai
• scolliate
• sollecita
• solletica