tremble

American  

[trem-buhl] / ˈtrɛm bəl /

verb (used without object)

trembled, trembling

1. to shake involuntarily with quick, short movements, as from fear, excitement, weakness, or cold; quake; quiver.

   Synonyms:

   shudder

2. to be troubled with fear or apprehension.

3. (of things) to be affected with vibratory motion.

   Synonyms:

   oscillate

4. to be tremulous, as light or sound.

   His voice trembled.

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noun

1. the act of trembling.

2. a state or fit of trembling.

3. (used with a singular verb) trembles,

   1. Pathology. milk sickness.

   2. Veterinary Pathology. a toxic condition of cattle and sheep caused by the eating of white snakeroot and characterized by muscular tremors.

tremble British  

/ ˈtrɛmbəl /

verb

1. to vibrate with short slight movements; quiver

2. to shake involuntarily, as with cold or fear; shiver

3. to experience fear or anxiety

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noun

1. the act or an instance of trembling

Related Words

See shake.

Other Word Forms

• trembling adjective
• tremblingly adverb
• trembly adjective
• untrembling adjective
• untremblingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of tremble

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English trem(b)len (verb), from Old French trembler, from Vulgar Latin *tremulāre, derivative of Latin tremulus tremulous

Example Sentences

Whenever the big ice floes drifted down from the north and crashed onshore, making thunderous sounds, he would tremble and turn pale.

From Literature

I could feel a tremble in my stomach, spiralling outwards through my body.

From Literature

When he turned toward us, holding out his arms for the Kyrie, his hands trembled; his face was pale and thin.

From Literature

I nodded, remembering how he’d practically trembled in my mom’s presence as he showed off his new Butterfly detector.

From Literature

Every time it thundered, our old log house trembled and the windows rattled.

From Literature

Related Words

• flutter
• quiver
• shiver
• shudder
• throb
• wobble