1. To swing backwards and forwards; to move to and fro between two points; to vibrate: When the strings of a violin are played with a bow, they oscillate and produce tones!
2. To alternate between two states, opinions, principles, purposes, etc.; to vary or fluctuate alternately between two limits: Brain activity oscillates at different frequencies depending on what people are doing, how high their stress levels are, and other factors; such as, the amount of sleep, nourishment, and stimulation people have.
3. To be indecisive in purpose or opinion; to vacillate: Yesterday, Hank seemed certain about buying a new pair of shoes, but today he is oscillating because he's not sure whether he should wait until next week or not.
4. Etymology: from Latin oscillat-, "swung, from the verb oscillare. © ALL rights are reserved.

Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.

1. That which swings or moves to and fro; vibrating.
2. Of an electric current: undergoing very rapid periodic reversal of direction.
3. In astronomy, a model of the universe in which expansion is followed by contraction, explosion, and expansion once more, in an infinite cycle.

A dancing movement of objects caused by spontaneous eye movements.