quake

[ kweyk ]
See synonyms for quake on Thesaurus.com
verb (used without object),quaked, quak·ing.
  1. (of persons) to shake or tremble from cold, weakness, fear, anger, or the like: He spoke boldly even though his legs were quaking.

  2. (of things) to shake or tremble, as from shock, internal convulsion, or instability: The earth suddenly began to quake.

noun
  1. an earthquake.

  2. a trembling or tremulous agitation.

Origin of quake

1
First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English cwacian “to shake, tremble”

synonym study For quake

1. See shiver1.

Other words for quake

Other words from quake

  • quak·ing·ly, adverb
  • un·quak·ing, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use quake in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for quake

quake

/ (kweɪk) /


verb(intr)
  1. to shake or tremble with or as with fear

  2. to convulse or quiver, as from instability

noun
  1. the act or an instance of quaking

  2. informal short for earthquake

Origin of quake

1
Old English cwacian; related to Old English cweccan to shake, Old Irish bocaim, German wackeln

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012