judder

American  

[juhd-er] / ˈdʒʌd ər /

verb (used without object)

1. to vibrate violently.

   an old automobile with a clutch that judders.

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noun

1. a state or instance of juddering.

judder British  

/ ˈdʒʌdə /

verb

1. (intr) to shake or vibrate

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noun

1. abnormal vibration in a mechanical system, esp due to grabbing between friction surfaces, as in the clutch of a motor vehicle

2. a juddering motion

Etymology

Origin of judder

First recorded in 1925–30; origin uncertain; perhaps j(olt) or j(erk) + (sh)udder

Explanation

To judder is to shake rapidly, almost vibrating. If your car's engine needs a tune-up, it may judder a bit when you first start it up or stop at a traffic light. The verb judder first appeared in the 1930s. Experts guess that its origin was imitative, approximating the sound and motion it describes, and influenced by jolt and shudder. Engines, steering wheels, and other vehicle parts are commonly said to judder. Once televisions became common, judder was also used to describe a specific choppy quality to a show being displayed in a different format than the one in which it was filmed.

Example Sentences

Judder: This term refers to a slightly jerky motion that can occur when 24p film content appears on a TV with a 60 Hz refresh rate.

From Slate • Sep. 1, 2018

Related Words

• fluctuation
• oscillation
• pulse
• reverberation
• tremor