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# oscillation

noun (an oscillation, oscillations; also uncountable)

«oscillation» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A regular movement back and forth, like a pendulum swing. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/oscillation/#m1)
2. (science) One full swing or vibration, from one side to the other and back. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/oscillation/#m2)
3. A change back and forth between two states, feelings or opinions. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/oscillation/#m3)

### In the lessons

A science word: we count oscillations of a pendulum to measure its period (the time for one full oscillation). Sound and light are oscillations (vibrations and waves). In maths problems: if a pendulum makes 30 oscillations in 60 seconds, one oscillation takes 60 ÷ 30 = 2 seconds.

### Examples

- We counted ten oscillations of the pendulum. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/oscillation/#x1)
- One oscillation means swinging there and back again. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/oscillation/#x2)
- Sound is made by the oscillation of air particles. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/oscillation/#x3)
- A longer pendulum has slower oscillations. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/oscillation/#x4)
- There was an oscillation in her mood all day. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/oscillation/#x5)
- The bridge's oscillation in the wind worried engineers. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/oscillation/#x6)

### Note

Countable when you count swings; uncountable for the general idea. In maths and science: frequency = number of oscillations per second (measured in hertz, Hz). Spelling: os-cil-la-tion.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «oscillation» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/oscillation/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«oscillation» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/oscillation.html) on Mova free.