different between waver vs vibrate

English

Etymology

From Middle English waveren, from Old Norse vafra (“to flicker”), akin to Old English w?fre (“restless, wavering”). Related to wave.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?we?.v?(?)/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?we?.v?/
• Rhymes: -e?v?(?)
• Homophone: waiver

Verb

waver (third-person singular simple present wavers, present participle wavering, simple past and past participle wavered)

1. (intransitive) To sway back and forth; to totter or reel.

   Flowers wavered in the breeze.

   • 1523–1525, Jean Froissart, John Bourchier, 2nd Baron Berners (translator), Froissart's Chronicles

     With banners and pennons wavering with the wind.
2. (intransitive) To flicker, glimmer, quiver, as a weak light.
3. (intransitive) To fluctuate or vary, as commodity prices or a poorly sustained musical pitch.
4. (intransitive) To shake or tremble, as the hands or voice.

   His voice wavered when the reporter brought up the controversial topic.

5. (intransitive) To falter; become unsteady; begin to fail or give way.
   • 2014, Jacob Steinberg, "Wigan shock Manchester City in FA Cup again to reach semi-finals", The Guardian, 9 March 2014:

     Although they believe they can overhaul their 2-0 deficit, they cannot afford to be as lethargic as this at Camp Nou, and the time is surely approaching when Manuel Pellegrini's faith in Martín Demichelis wavers.

6. (intransitive) To be indecisive between choices; to feel or show doubt or indecision; to vacillate.

   Despite all the terrible things that happened to her, she never wavered from her beliefs.

Translations

Noun

waver (plural wavers)

1. An act of wavering, vacillating, etc.
2. Someone who waves, enjoys waving, etc.

   I felt encouraged by all the enthusiastic wavers in the crowd.

   The Fourth of July brings out all the flag wavers.

   Johnny is such a little waver; everyone who passes by receives his preferred greeting.

3. Someone who specializes in waving (hair treatment).
4. A tool that accomplishes hair waving.
5. (Britain, dialect, dated) A sapling left standing in a fallen wood.

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

Translations

See also

• waiver

References

• waver at OneLook Dictionary Search
• waver in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

English

Etymology

From Latin vibr?tus, perfect passive participle of vibr? (“agitate, set in tremulous motion”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /va??b?e?t/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?va?.b?e?t/
• Rhymes: -e?t

Verb

vibrate (third-person singular simple present vibrates, present participle vibrating, simple past and past participle vibrated)

1. (intransitive) To shake with small, rapid movements to and fro.
2. (intransitive) To resonate.

   Her mind was vibrating with excitement.

3. (transitive) To brandish; to swing to and fro.

   to vibrate a sword or a staff

4. (transitive) To mark or measure by moving to and fro.

   a pendulum vibrating seconds

5. (transitive) To affect with vibratory motion; to set in vibration.
   • 1669, William Holder, Elements of Speech

     Breath vocalized, i.e., vibrated or undulated, may […] impress a swift, tremulous motion.
6. (transitive, slang, dated) To please or impress someone.
   • 1949, Ladies' Home Journal (volume 66, page 115)

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

   • 1961, Congressional Record

     […] standing side by side under a Grecian column, tapping their feet in unison and saying such things as "Hot-diggety,” “Razz-ma-tazz," “That vibrates me," and other expressions of praise current in their youth.

7. (intransitive, music) To use vibrato.

Related terms

Translations

Noun

vibrate (uncountable)

1. The setting, on a portable electronic device, that causes it to vibrate rather than sound any (or most) needed alarms.

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

Translations

Further reading

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

Anagrams

• vrbaite

Italian

Verb

vibrate

1. second-person plural present indicative of vibrare
2. second-person plural imperative of vibrare
3. feminine plural of vibrato

Anagrams

• brevità, trabevi

Latin

Verb

vibr?te

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