pulsate

Meanings

1. To expand and contract rhythmically; to throb or to beat, exhibit a pulse.
2. To quiver, vibrate, or flash; as to the beat of music.
3. To pulse, to be full of life, energy: to bustle, thrive, flourish.
4. To produce a recurring increase and decrease of some quantity.

Etymology

Perhaps formed within English as a back-formation from pulsation (attested from the early 15th century, in Middle English). A figurative derivation from New Latin pulsō, pulsātum (“(of an organ) to pulse, to emit a pulse”, intransitive) is also possible, itself a back-formation of New Latin pulsātiō (“pulsation”, 14th century), or derived from classical Latin pulsō (“to strike repeatedly”, transitive) with semantic influence from classical pulsus (“a pulse”). Ultimately from Latin pellō (“to strike”). By surface analysis, pulse + -ate (verb-forming suffix). Doublet of push.