trem ‧ ble /ˈtremb ə l/ BrE AmE verb [intransitive]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: trembler , from Latin tremulus 'shaking' , from tremere 'to tremble' ]
1 . to shake slightly in a way that you cannot control, especially because you are upset or frightened:
His lip started to tremble and then he started to cry.
tremble with anger/fear etc
Greene was on his feet now, his body trembling with rage.
2 . to shake slightly:
The whole house trembled as the train went by.
3 . if your voice trembles, it sounds nervous and unsteady
4 . to be worried or frightened about something:
I tremble to think what will happen when she finds out.
—tremble noun [countable]
• • •
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.