wobble
To move with an uneven or rocking motion, or unsteadily to and froTo move with an uneven or rocking motion, or unsteadily to and fro.
» This wheel wobbles when it turns.
Meaning
4 senses(intransitive)To move with an uneven or rocking motion, or unsteadily to and fro.
the Earth wobbles slowly on its axis
the jelly wobbled on the plate
wackeln, eiern
виля́тьviljátʹ, вихля́тьvixljátʹ, идти́ шата́ясьidtí šatájasʹ
move unsteadily
(intransitive)To tremble or quaver.
The soprano's voice wobbled alarmingly.
trillern
кача́тьсяkačátʹsja, шата́тьсяšatátʹsja, дрожатьdrožatʹ
tremble or shake
(intransitive)To vacillate in one's opinions.
I'm wobbling between the Liberals and the Greens.
schwanken
колеба́тьсяkolebátʹsja
(transitive)To cause to wobble.
The boy wobbled the girl's bike.
кача́тьkačátʹ, раска́чиватьraskáčivatʹ, шата́тьšatátʹ
Examples
23 sentencesThis wheel wobbles when it turns.
The toddler wobbled over to its mother.
deDas Kleinkind wackelte hinüber zu seiner Mutter.
The toddler wobbled when he first stood up.
The table wobbles because its legs are unequal length.
She wobbled as she walked across the balance beam.
deSie schwankte, als sie über den Schwebebalken lief.
Translations
6 languagesBy meaning 4
By meaning 3
Origin
From earlier wabble (“wobble”), probably from Low German wabbeln (“to wobble”). Compare DuFrom earlier wabble (“wobble”), probably from Low German wabbeln (“to wobble”). Compare Dutch wiebelen and wobbelen (“to wobble”), German wabbeln (“to wobble”), Old Norse vafla (“to hover about, totter”).
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
wobbles, wobbling, wobbled, wobbledSynonyms
18 synonymsWord family
6 related wordsLessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, regular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle