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pendulum

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The definition of a pendulum is an object that has been mounted to a fixed point that swings freely back and forth under the influence of gravity, or the tendency of trends or situations to shift from one extreme to another.

(noun)

The weights fixed to a pivot point on the end of a chain in a grandfather clock that pivot back and forth to help regulate the clock mechanism is an example of a pendulum.
When popular home furniture styles shift from modern to traditional and back again, this is an example of the pendulum of taste.

See pendulum in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

a body hung from a fixed point so as to swing freely to and fro under the combined forces of gravity and momentum: often used in regulating the movement of clocks

Origin: ModL < neut. of L pendulus: see pendulous

Related Forms:

pendular adjective

See pendulum in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

A body suspended from a fixed support so that it swings freely back and forth under the influence of gravity, commonly used to regulate various devices, especially clocks. Also called simple pendulum.
Something that swings back and forth from one course, opinion, or condition to another: the pendulum of public opinion.

Origin:

Origin: New Latin

Origin: , probably from Italian pendolo, pendulous, pendulum

Origin: , from Latin pendulus, hanging; see pendulous

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