Plain English Meaning

A back-and-forth motion that gets bigger and bigger instead of dying down. Each swing is wider than the last.

Full Definition

An oscillation in which the amplitude of each successive cycle grows larger than the one before, rather than fading away. The motion feeds on itself and worsens over time unless something is done to stop it.

Context Anchor

Seen in airframe vibration, structural stability, and control-surface discussions, especially when a movement may be growing instead of damping out.

Derivation

From Latin divergere, 'to bend away from each other,' and oscillare, 'to swing.' Together: a swinging motion that bends further away from its starting point with each cycle, rather than settling back toward it.