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instability

   Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Medical, Legal, Acronyms, Wikipedia 0.03 sec.
instability
1. tendency to variable or unpredictable behaviour
2. Physics a fast growing disturbance or wave in a plasma

instability [‚in·stə′bil·əd·ē]
(control systems)
A condition of a control system in which excessive positive feedback causes persistent, unwanted oscillations in the output of the system.
(physics)
A property of the steady state of a system such that certain disturbances or perturbations introduced into the steady state will increase in magnitude, the maximum perturbation amplitude always remaining larger than the initial amplitude.


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? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
Do not think me unkind for such an exercise of my power, nor accuse me of instability without first hearing my reasons.
Thus saith Cide Hamete the Mahometan philosopher; for there are many that by the light of nature alone, without the light of faith, have a comprehension of the fleeting nature and instability of this present life and the endless duration of that eternal life we hope for; but our author is here speaking of the rapidity with which Sancho's government came to an end, melted away, disappeared, vanished as it were in smoke and shadow.
Its instability startled me extremely, and I had a queer reminiscence of the childish days when I used to be forbidden to meddle.
 
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