I. quiv ‧ er 1 /ˈkwɪvə $ -ər/ BrE AmE verb [intransitive]
[ Date: 1400-1500 ; Origin: Probably from quiver 'active, quick' (13-19 centuries) , from an unrecorded Old English cwifer ]
to shake slightly because you are cold, or because you feel very afraid, angry, excited etc SYN tremble :
The child was quivering in her arms.
Her mouth quivered slightly as she turned away.
quiver with indignation/anger etc
I lay there quivering with fear.
His voice was quivering with rage.
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THESAURUS
■ person
▪ shake if a person or part of their body shakes, they make small sudden continuous movements from side to side or up and down, especially because they are very frightened, cold, ill etc:
Suddenly he started to shake. ‘Don’t ever scare me like that again!’ he whispered.
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The poor girl was shaking.
▪ shudder to shake for a short time, especially because you think of something very unpleasant, or because you feel frightened or cold:
Corbett shuddered when he thought of what might have happened to them.
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I shuddered when I read the article.
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He was still shuddering with the cold.
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She clung to him, shuddering with emotion.
▪ tremble to shake slightly in a way that you cannot control, especially because you are frightened, worried, or angry:
Ernest opened the letter in silence, his hands trembling.
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Her whole body trembled with fear.
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He hadn’t dared to move. He was trembling with shock.
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‘I won’t be coming back,’ she said, her body trembling with anger.
▪ shiver to shake slightly, especially only a few times, because you are cold or frightened:
She shivered, pulling her coat closer around herself.
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You make me shiver when you talk like that.
▪ quiver especially literary to shake slightly and continuously because you are very worried or excited – used especially about someone’s lips, mouth, or body:
Her bottom lip began to quiver, and she turned away to hide her tears.
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Alice’s eyes began to fill with tears and her mouth quivered. ‘I 'm going away,’ she said.
▪ wobble to move unsteadily from side to side:
Mrs Hamilton wobbled precariously on her high heels.
▪ rock to move gently backwards and forwards or from side to side:
He rocked to and fro in his chair.
II. quiver 2 BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Sense 1: Date: 1700-1800 ; Origin: ⇨ ↑ quiver 1 ]
[ Sense 2: Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: quivre ]
1 . a slight trembling
quiver of fear/anxiety/anticipation etc
I felt a quiver of excitement run through me.
2 . a long case for carrying ↑ arrow s