fluctuate

• POS: Verb (usu participle), Verb (intransitive)
• HYPHEN: fluc=tu=ate

CIDE DICTIONARY

fluctuate, v. i. [L. fluctuatus, p. p. of fluctuare, to wave, fr. fluctus wave, fr. fluere, fluctum, to flow. See Fluent, and cf. Flotilla.].

•  To move as a wave; to roll hither and thither; to wave; to float backward and forward, as on waves; as, a fluctuating field of air.  Blackmore.  [1913 Webster]
•  To move now in one direction and now in another; to be wavering or unsteady; to be irresolute or undetermined; to vacillate.

Syn. -- To waver; vacillate; hesitate; scruple.

fluctuate, v. t. 

 To cause to move as a wave; to put in motion.  [1913 Webster]
"And fluctuate all the still perfume."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

fluctuate, v.intr. vary irregularly; be unstable, vacillate; rise and fall, move to and fro.

Derivative

fluctuation n.

Etymology

L fluctuare f. fluctus flow, wave f. fluere fluct- flow

THESAURUS

fluctuate

alternate, back and fill, bob, bobble, careen, change, chop and change, coggle, dangle, dither, ebb and flow, equivocate, flounder, flutter, go through phases, intermit, lack regularity, librate, lurch, nutate, oscillate, pendulate, pitch, recur, reel, resonate, return, reverse, ring the changes, rock, roll, seesaw, shake, shift, shilly-shally, shuffle, stagger, swag, sway, swing, teeter, teeter-totter, tergiversate, toss, totter, turn, vacillate, vary, vibrate, wag, waggle, wave, waver, wax and wane, wobble

ROGET THESAURUS

fluctuate

Irresolution

VB be irresolute, hang in suspense, keep in suspense, leave "ad referendum", think twice about, pause, dawdle, remain neuter, dillydally, hesitate, boggle, hover, dacker, hum and haw, demur, not know one's own mind, debate, balance, dally with, coquet with, will and will not, chaser-balancer, go halfway, compromise, make a compromise, be thrown off one's balance, stagger like a drunken man, be afraid, let 'I dare not' wait upon 'I would', falter, waver vacillate, change, retract, fluctuate, pendulate, alternate, keep off and on, play fast and loose, blow hot and cold, shuffle, palter, blink, trim.

Changeableness

VB fluctuate, vary, waver, flounder, flicker, flitter, flit, flutter, shift, shuffle, shake, totter, tremble, vacillate, wamble, turn and turn about, ring the changes, sway to and fro, shift to and fro, change and change about, waffle, blow with the wind (irresolute), oscillate, vibrate between, two extremes, oscillate between, two extremes, alternate, have as man phases as the moon.

Oscillation

VB oscillate, vibrate, librate, alternate, undulate, wave, rock, swing, pulsate, beat, wag, waggle, nod, bob, courtesy, curtsy, tick, play, wamble, wabble, dangle, swag, fluctuate, dance, curvet, reel, quake, quiver, quaver, shake, flicker, wriggle, roll, toss, pitch, flounder, stagger, totter, move up and down, bob up and down, pass and repass, ebb and flow, come and go, vacillate, teeter, brandish, shake, flourish.