quaver

American  

[kway-ver] / ˈkweɪ vər /

verb (used without object)

• quavers,
  present (3rd person singular)
• quavered,
  past participle,  past
• quavering
  present participle

1. to shake tremulously; quiver or tremble.

   He stood there quavering with fear.

2. to sound, speak, or sing tremulously.

   Her voice quavered a moment and then she regained control.

3. to perform trills in singing or on a musical instrument.

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verb (used with object)

• quavers,
  present (3rd person singular)
• quavered,
  past participle,  past
• quavering
  present participle

1. to utter, say, or sing with a quavering or tremulous voice.

noun

1. a quavering or tremulous shake, especially in the voice.

2. a quavering tone or utterance.

3. Music (chiefly British). an eighth note.

quaver British  

/ ˈkweɪvə /

verb

1. to say or sing (something) with a trembling voice

2. (intr) (esp of the voice) to quiver, tremble, or shake

3. rare (intr) to sing or play quavers or ornamental trills

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noun

1. Usual US and Canadian name: eighth note. music a note having the time value of an eighth of a semibreve

2. a tremulous sound or note

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• quaverer
  noun
• quavering
  adjective
• quaverous
  adjective
• quavery
  adjective
• unquavering
  adjective
• quaveringly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Participles

• quavering
  present
• quavered
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• quaver
  simple
• quavers
  simple
• have quavered
  perfect
• has quavered
  perfect
• am quavering
  progressive
• are quavering
  progressive
• is quavering
  progressive
• have been quavering
  perfect progressive
• has been quavering
  perfect progressive

Past

• quavered
  simple
• had quavered
  perfect
• was quavering
  progressive
• were quavering
  progressive
• had been quavering
  perfect progressive

Future

• will quaver
  simple
• will have quavered
  perfect
• will be quavering
  progressive
• will have been quavering
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of quaver

1400–50; late Middle English quaveren (v.), blend of quake and waver ¹

Explanation

A quaver is a trembling or shaking sound, especially in a person's voice. When you give your first speech in front of a crowd, don't be surprised to hear a quaver in your voice. The nervous or emotional tremor in a person's speaking voice is one kind of quaver. It's also a primarily British term for an eighth note in music. To quaver can mean both to speak in a trembling voice, or to sing in a similar way, with a little warble or trill. The fifteenth century meaning of quaver is "to tremble or vibrate," and it's related to the earlier cwavien, "to shake," from the Low German word quabbeln, "tremble."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

quaver quavers quavered quavering

There was a quaver in his voice, which defined the depth of his emotion.

From Scientific American ● Dec. 23, 2021

It’s where Alana first says “You’re sweet, Gary,” a line Haim delivers with a lovely little quaver, as if a mask were falling away.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 15, 2021

Vocal cords grow brittle; high notes start to quaver; low tones hollow out.

From New York Times ● Feb. 6, 2020

Tears sprang to my eyes again, lending a quaver to my voice.

From Slate ● Aug. 24, 2019

Tyrion spoke up loudly, trying to keep the quaver from his voice.

From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin

The vivid pictures in “Cultivating Imperfection,” the Northern Virginia painter’s Art League show, might be pulsing with sound, light or tectonic quavers.

From Washington Post ● Sep. 24, 2020

“There are things out there,” a character quavers.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 9, 2020

The only time her voice quavers is when she describes her mother’s reaction.

From The Guardian ● Jun. 28, 2018

They are also asked to say “Aaah” for 10 seconds into the phone; measuring how much the voice quavers can help to tell doctors about their muscle tone.

From Nature ● Nov. 3, 2015

The light filtering in from above shifts again, and the figure quavers as though she were watching through a heat haze, though Mr. A. H— remains comparatively crisp and clear.

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

Mrs. Clinton’s voice quavered and her eyes teared up on primary eve when Marianne Pernold Young, in a Portsmouth cafe, asked an exhausted candidate, “How do you do it?”

From New York Times ● Jan. 24, 2024

Dressed in a traditional feathered cloak, her voice quavered as she thrust a photo of her mother at the committee.

From BBC ● Dec. 10, 2023

When it came time for him to address the gathering at his uncle’s grave, Franken’s voice quavered as he took in, for the first time, the cross that was about to be removed.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 13, 2020

As her voice quavered, I felt a surge of emotion so strong it seemed to paralyze me.

From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2018

“But, my Lord,” I quavered, “I am only an ignorant man who knows nothing of the art of healing.”

From "Dragonwings" by Laurence Yep

What only seems familiar: Powering out of a slow corner with the pedal pinned, the car pulling its guts out, stretching for the redline, revs quavering at the upshifts.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 28, 2026

Voice quavering, I told Sam that I was looking for an actual relationship, one that could go somewhere.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 23, 2024

“Keep up the fight,” he told the audience in a quavering voice.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 5, 2024

HAILEY, Idaho — Paul Rytting listened as a woman, voice quavering, told him her story.

From Washington Times ● Dec. 12, 2023

“Come quickly!” she said, her voice high and quavering, every limb trembling, her face white.

From "The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage" by Philip Pullman