Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense quivers, present participle quivering, past tense, past participle quivered
1. verb
If something quivers, it shakes with very small movements.
Her bottom lip quivered and big tears rolled down her cheeks. [VERB]
Synonyms: shake, tremble, shiver, quake More Synonyms of quiver
2. verb
If you say that someone or their voice is quiveringwith an emotion such as rage or excitement, you mean that they are strongly affected by this emotion and show it in their appearance or voice.
Cooper arrived, quivering with rage. [VERB + with]
Mack made his voice quiver with fear on these last two words. [VERBwith noun]
Quiver is also a noun.
I felt a quiver of panic. [+ of]
3. countable noun
A quiver is a container for carrying arrows in.
Synonyms: shake, tremble, shiver, throb More Synonyms of quiver
quiver in British English1
(ˈkwɪvə)
verb
1. (intransitive)
to shake with a rapid tremulous movement; tremble
noun
2.
the state, process, or noise of shaking or trembling
Derived forms
quiverer (ˈquiverer)
noun
quivering (ˈquivering)
adjective
quiveringly (ˈquiveringly)
adverb
quivery (ˈquivery)
adjective
Word origin
C15: from obsolete cwiver quick, nimble; compare quaver
quiver in British English2
(ˈkwɪvə)
noun
a case for arrows
Word origin
C13: from Old French cuivre; related to Old English cocer, Old Saxon kokari, Old High German kohhari, Medieval Latin cucurum
quiver in American English1
(ˈkwɪvər)
verb intransitive
1.
to shake with a tremulous motion; tremble
noun
2.
the act or condition of quivering; tremor; tremble
Derived forms
quivery (ˈquivery)
adjective
Word origin
ME quiveren < OE cwifer-, eager, akin to MDu quiveren < IE base *gwei-, to live, lively: see bio-
quiver in American English2
(ˈkwɪvər)
noun
1.
a case for holding arrows
2.
the arrows in it
Word origin
ME quyuere < OFr coivre < Gmc *kukur (> OE cocer, quiver, sheath, Ger köcher, quiver), prob. a loanword from the Huns
Examples of 'quiver' in a sentence
quiver
She disappeared into the night and left me a quivering wreck.
The Sun (2015)
Her quivering lips remained parted as she ceased speaking.
George Eliot Daniel Deronda (1876)
It is very easy to see how a few minutes with her can reduce a politician to a quivering wreck.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The poor quivering lips went on.
George Eliot Daniel Deronda (1876)
It left me a quivering wreck.
The Sun (2015)
Then there is the voice: a steely vibrato quivering with controlled emotion and perhaps something else.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
This will give the adrenalin a chance to be used up rather than causing the body to shake and the voice to quiver.
Christianity Today (2000)
As she talks, her voice is quivering with outrage and indignation.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
As always, we defy you to watch without your lip quivering.
The Sun (2013)
A quiver of excitement ran down my spine.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
She was quivering with rage.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Her voice is quivering again.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
His lip began to quiver.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
I also quiver in fear if anyone tries to touch my knees, or accidentally bumps into them.
The Sun (2009)
Symphony Hall is still quivering.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
In other languages
quiver
British English: quiver VERB
If something quivers, it shakes with very small movements.
Her bottom lip quivered and big tears rolled down her cheeks.
American English: quiver
Brazilian Portuguese: estremecer
Chinese: 颤抖
European Spanish: estremecerse
French: trembler
German: zittern
Italian: tremare
Japanese: 小刻みに震える
Korean: 떨다
European Portuguese: estremecer
Latin American Spanish: estremecerse
Chinese translation of 'quiver'
quiver
(ˈkwɪvəʳ)
vi
(= tremble)[lip, voice]颤(顫)抖 (chàndǒu)
to quiver with fear/rage因恐惧(懼)/愤(憤)怒而颤(顫)抖 (yīn kǒngjù/fènnù ér chàndǒu)
(verb)
Definition
to shake with a tremulous movement; tremble
His bottom lip quivered and big tears rolled down his cheeks.
Synonyms
shake
I stood there, crying and shaking with fear.
tremble
He began to tremble all over.
shiver
He shivered in the cold.
quake
Her shoulders quaked.
shudder
She shuddered with cold.
agitate
Gently agitate the water with a paintbrush.
vibrate
Her whole body seemed to vibrate with terror.
pulsate
The racing beat of her heart pulsated under my fingertips.
quaver
Her voice quavered and she fell silent.
convulse
He let out a cry that convulsed his whole body.
palpitate
His whole body was palpitating with fear.
(noun)
Definition
a shaking or trembling
I felt a quiver of panic.
Synonyms
shake
blurring of photos caused by camera shake
tremble
I'll never forget the tremble in his hand.
shiver
Alice gave a shiver of delight.
throb
His head jerked up at the throb of the engine.
shudder
She recoiled with a shudder.
tremor
He felt a tremor in his arm.
spasm
vibration
The vibration dislodged the pins from the plane's rudder.
tic
convulsion
He fell to the floor in the grip of an epileptic convulsion.
palpitation
pulsation
Additional synonyms
in the sense of agitate
Definition
to shake or stir (a liquid)
Gently agitate the water with a paintbrush.
Synonyms
stir,
beat,
mix,
shake,
disturb,
toss,
rouse,
churn
in the sense of convulse
Definition
to shake or agitate violently
He let out a cry that convulsed his whole body.
Synonyms
shake,
twist,
agitate,
contort
in the sense of convulsion
Definition
a violent muscular spasm
He fell to the floor in the grip of an epileptic convulsion.
Synonyms
spasm,
fit,
shaking,
seizure,
contraction,
tremor,
cramp,
contortion,
paroxysm,
throe (rare)
Nearby words of
quiver
quisling
quit
quite
quiver
quixotic
quiz
quizzical
Synonyms of 'quiver'
quiver
Explore 'quiver' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of palpitate
Definition
to flutter or tremble
His whole body was palpitating with fear.
Synonyms
tremble,
pulse,
shiver,
throb,
quiver,
vibrate
in the sense of pulsate
Definition
to expand and contract rhythmically, like a heartbeat
The racing beat of her heart pulsated under my fingertips.
Synonyms
throb,
pound,
beat,
hammer,
pulse,
tick,
thump,
quiver,
vibrate,
thud,
palpitate
in the sense of quake
Definition
to shudder because of instability
Her shoulders quaked.
Synonyms
shake,
tremble,
quiver,
move,
rock,
shiver,
throb,
shudder,
wobble,
waver,
vibrate,
pulsate,
quail,
totter,
convulse
in the sense of quaver
Definition
(esp. of the voice) to quiver or tremble
Her voice quavered and she fell silent.
Synonyms
tremble,
shake,
quiver,
thrill,
quake,
shudder,
flicker,
flutter,
waver,
vibrate,
pulsate,
oscillate,
trill,
twitter
in the sense of shiver
Definition
to tremble from cold or fear
He shivered in the cold.
Synonyms
shudder,
shake,
tremble,
quake,
quiver,
palpitate
in the sense of shiver
Definition
a tremble caused by cold or fear
Alice gave a shiver of delight.
Synonyms
tremble,
shake,
shudder,
quiver,
thrill,
trembling,
flutter,
tremor,
frisson
in the sense of shudder
Definition
to shake or tremble suddenly and violently from horror or fear
She shuddered with cold.
Synonyms
shiver,
shake,
tremble,
quake,
quiver,
convulse
in the sense of shudder
Definition
a shiver of fear or horror
She recoiled with a shudder.
Synonyms
shiver,
trembling,
tremor,
quiver,
spasm,
convulsion
in the sense of throb
Definition
the act or sensation of throbbing
His head jerked up at the throb of the engine.
Synonyms
vibration,
pulse,
throbbing,
resonance,
reverberation,
judder (informal),
pulsation
in the sense of tremble
Definition
to shake with short slight movements
He began to tremble all over.
Synonyms
shake,
shiver,
quake,
shudder,
quiver,
teeter,
totter,
quake in your boots,
shake in your boots or shoes
Additional synonyms
in the sense of tremble
Definition
the act or an instance of trembling
I'll never forget the tremble in his hand.
Synonyms
shake,
shiver,
quake (informal),
shudder,
wobble,
tremor,
quiver,
vibration,
oscillation
in the sense of tremor
Definition
an involuntary shudder or vibration
He felt a tremor in his arm.
Synonyms
shake,
shaking,
tremble,
trembling,
shiver,
quaking,
wobble,
quiver,
quivering,
agitation,
vibration,
quaver
in the sense of vibrate
Definition
to undergo or cause to undergo vibration
Her whole body seemed to vibrate with terror.
Synonyms
shake,
tremble,
shiver,
fluctuate,
quiver,
oscillate,
judder (informal)
in the sense of vibration
Definition
a vibrating
The vibration dislodged the pins from the plane's rudder.