/ ˈkweɪvə(r); NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb
if sb's voice quavers , it is unsteady, usually because the person is nervous or afraid :
[ v ]
'I'm not safe here, am I?' she asked in a quavering voice.
[also v speech ]
► qua·very / ˈkweɪvəri; NAmE / adjective :
a quavery voice
■ noun
1.
( BrE ) ( NAmE ˈeighth note ) ( music ) a note that lasts half as long as a crotchet / quarter note
2.
[ usually sing. ] a shaking sound in sb's voice
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English (as a verb in the general sense tremble ): from dialect quave quake, tremble , probably from an Old English word related to quake . The noun is first recorded (mid 16th cent.) as a musical term.