n
any member of the Society of Friends , a religious group established in England in the 1650s by George Fox . They were originally called Quakers because members were thought to ‘quake’ or shake with religious excitement. Quakers worship Christ without any formal ceremony or fixed beliefs, and their meetings often involve silent thought or prayer. They are strongly opposed to violence and war, and are active in education and charity work. There are now Quaker groups in many countries around the world.