VIBRATION

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does vibration mean? 

• VIBRATION (noun)
  The noun VIBRATION has 4 senses:

1. the act of vibrating

2. a shaky motion

3. (physics) a regular periodic variation in value about a mean

4. a distinctive emotional aura experienced instinctively

  Familiarity information: VIBRATION used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• VIBRATION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The act of vibrating

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

quiver; quivering; vibration

Hypernyms ("vibration" is a kind of...):

motility; motion; move; movement (a change of position that does not entail a change of location)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "vibration"):

shudder; tremor (an involuntary vibration (as if from illness or fear))

Derivation:

vibrate (move or swing from side to side regularly)

vibrational (of or relating to or characterized by vibration)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A shaky motion

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

palpitation; quiver; quivering; shakiness; shaking; trembling; vibration

Context example:

the shaking of his fingers as he lit his pipe

Hypernyms ("vibration" is a kind of...):

motion (a state of change)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "vibration"):

tremolo ((music) a tremulous effect produced by rapid repetition of a single tone or rapid alternation of two tones)

tremor (shaking or trembling (usually resulting from weakness or stress or disease))

Derivation:

vibrate (shake, quiver, or throb; move back and forth rapidly, usually in an uncontrolled manner)

vibrational (of or relating to or characterized by vibration)

Sense 3

Meaning:

(physics) a regular periodic variation in value about a mean

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

oscillation; vibration

Hypernyms ("vibration" is a kind of...):

undulation; wave ((physics) a movement up and down or back and forth)

Domain category:

natural philosophy; physics (the science of matter and energy and their interactions)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "vibration"):

ripple ((electronics) an oscillation of small amplitude imposed on top of a steady value)

transient ((physics) a short-lived oscillation in a system caused by a sudden change of voltage or current or load)

beat (a single pulsation of an oscillation produced by adding two waves of different frequencies; has a frequency equal to the difference between the two oscillations)

resonance (a vibration of large amplitude produced by a relatively small vibration near the same frequency of vibration as the natural frequency of the resonating system)

sympathetic vibration ((physics) vibration produced by resonance)

Derivation:

vibrate (move or swing from side to side regularly)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A distinctive emotional aura experienced instinctively

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

vibe; vibration

Context example:

it gave me a nostalgic vibe

Hypernyms ("vibration" is a kind of...):

air; atmosphere; aura (a distinctive but intangible quality surrounding a person or thing)

 Context examples 

So this year, make December 27 shine for you with golden vibrations.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

The process of producing vocal sounds by vibration of the vocal cords during an expiration of air.

(Phonation, NCI Thesaurus)

A charted band of wavelengths of electromagnetic vibrations.

(Electromagnetic Spectrum, NCI Thesaurus)

An hour of this passed, when the vibrations of feet in contact with the ground foreran the one who approached.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

His work determined that the rings respond to vibrations within the planet itself, acting similarly to the seismometers used to measure movement caused by earthquakes.

(Scientists Finally Know What Time It Is on Saturn, NASA)

Scientists know that distinct types of neurons detect different types of sensations, such as touch, heat, cold, pain, pressure, and vibration, noted Alexander Chesler, Ph.D., lead author of the study.

(Study uncovers specialized mouse neurons that play a unique role in pain, National Institutes of Health)

Unlike local anesthetics, which block all nerve activity including motor axons, RTX allows many sensations, like touch and vibration, as well as muscle function, to be preserved.

(Chemical from cactus-like plant shows promise in controlling surgical pain, while leaving touch and coordination intact, National Institutes of Health)

Then lava stopped flowing and seismic vibrations ceased.

(Underwater volcano's fiery eruption captured in detail by seafloor observatory, NSF)

Long ago, in the largest canyon system in our solar system, vibrations from "marsquakes" shook soft sediments that had accumulated in Martian lakes.

(Signs of Ancient Mars Lakes and Quakes Seen in New Map, NASA)

The energy difference between the absorbed and emitted photons ends up as molecular vibrations (heat).

(Fluorescence, NCI Thesaurus)