vibrate

Etymology

From Latin vibrātus, perfect passive participle of vibrō (“agitate, set in tremulous motion”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *weyp- (“to oscillate, swing”) or *weyb-.

verb

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.
6. (transitive, slang, dated) To please or impress someone.
   And if he wants to give you high praise, he'll answer, "That vibrates me"; "That has a large charge"; or "That's oogley." 1949, Ladies' Home Journal, volume 66, page 115
   […] 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. 1961, Congressional Record
7. (intransitive, music) To use vibrato.
8. (transitive, slang) To pleasure someone using a vibrator.
   Downstairs in the living-room Jill Was vibrating herself for a thrill. 27 Mar 1999, PeterW, “Jack with Jill”, in alt.jokes.limericks (Usenet)

noun

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.