Tesla coil failing to move up and down (9)
I believe the answer is:
oscillate
'move up and down' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both to do with motion as well as being verbs in their base form.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'tesla coil failing' is the wordplay.
'failing' indicates anagramming the letters.
'tesla'+'coil'='teslacoil'
'teslacoil' is an anagram of 'OSCILLATE'.
'to' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for oscillate that I've seen before include "Swing like a pendulum" , "Swing back and forth" , "sway" , "Waver between various options" , "Swing between limits" .)