different between falter vs pulsate

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

Borrowed from Latin puls?tus, from puls? (“I strike repeatedly”), from pell? (“I strike”). Doublet of push.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /p?l?se?t/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?p?l.se?t/

Verb

pulsate (third-person singular simple present pulsates, present participle pulsating, simple past and past participle pulsated)

1. To expand and contract rhythmically; to throb or to beat.
2. To quiver, vibrate, or flash; as to the beat of music.
3. To produce a recurring increase and decrease of some quantity.

Derived terms

Related terms

• pulsar

Translations

Anagrams

• puteals, septula, spatule, upsteal

Ido

Verb

pulsate

1. adverbial present passive participle of pulsar

Italian

Verb

pulsate

1. second-person plural present indicative of pulsare
2. second-person plural imperative of pulsare

Verb

pulsate f pl

1. feminine plural of pulsato

Anagrams

• spatule
• spulate

Latin

Verb

puls?te

1. second-person plural present active imperative of puls?