From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishoscillateos‧cil‧late /ˈɒsəleɪt $ ˈɑː-/ verb [intransitive] 1 formalTMOVE/CHANGE POSITION to keep changing between two extreme amounts or limits The stock market is oscillating wildly at the moment.oscillate between His income oscillated between £1,500 and £2,000 a month.2 formalCHANGE FROM ONE THING TO ANOTHER to keep changing between one feeling or attitude and anotheroscillate between Her attitude towards me oscillated between friendship and hostility.3 to move backwards and forwards in a regular way The needle on the dial began to oscillate.4 technicalTEEHPE if an electric current oscillates, it changes direction very regularly and very frequently→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
oscillate• There is a vertical line in spirituality that goes from the beast to the angel, and on which we oscillate.• Ah, yes: Maxwell showed that oscillating an electric charge is just the mechanism that causes light waves to be produced.• an oscillating fan• Only if neutrinos do have some mass, however small, can they oscillate from one type to another.• I kept oscillating from too far forward to too far back.• Compressed air oscillates the ventricles, circulating blood around the body.• For several days the stock market oscillated wildly.• A stock index does not oscillate with such frightening amplitude as we have witnessed recently unless to announce some tectonic change ahead.From Longman Business Dictionaryoscillateos‧cil‧late /ˈɒsəleɪtˈɑː-/ verb [intransitive] to move regularly between two limits or statesThe trade balance used to oscillate between surplus and deficit. —oscillation noun [countable, uncountable]→ See Verb tableOrigin oscillate (1700-1800) Latin past participle of oscillare “to swing”, from oscillum “swing” 