pendulum
UK ['pen.djʊ.ləm] US [-dʒə.ləm] noun
countable
■a device consisting of a weight on a stick or thread which moves from one side to the other, especially one which forms a part of some types of clocks 摆，摆锤；（尤指）钟摆•The pendulum in the grandfather clock swung back and forth.落地钟的钟摆来回摆动。 •The spaceship's jets were fired periodically to dampen a side-to-side pendulum motion that had developed.太空船的喷射装置周期性地喷射，以减缓太空船出现的左右摇摆现象。 only singular
■a change, especially from one opinion to an opposite one 摇摆不定的事态或局面；（尤指）观点的摇摆不定•As so often in education, the pendulum has swung back to the other extreme and testing is popular again.人们的观点又回到了另一个极端，考试又流行起来了，这种摇摆不定的现象在教育界经常出现。 |