(~s)
1.
A ~ is a small spot of light, sometimes occurring with a short, high-pitched sound, which flashes on and off regularly on a piece of equipment such as a radar screen.
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2.
A ~ in a straight line, such as the line on a graph, is a point at which the line suddenly makes a sharp change of direction before returning to its original direction.
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3.
A ~ in a situation is a sudden but temporary change or interruption in it.
Interest rates generally have been declining since last spring, despite a few upward ~s in recent weeks.
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