quake

American  

[kweyk] / kweɪk /

verb (used without object)

quaked, quaking

1. (of persons) to shake or tremble from cold, weakness, fear, anger, or the like.

   He spoke boldly even though his legs were quaking.

   Synonyms:

   shudder

2. (of things) to shake or tremble, as from shock, internal convulsion, or instability.

   The earth suddenly began to quake.

   Synonyms:

   quiver

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noun

1. an earthquake.

2. a trembling or tremulous agitation.

quake British  

/ kweɪk /

verb

1. to shake or tremble with or as with fear

2. to convulse or quiver, as from instability

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noun

1. the act or an instance of quaking

2. informal short for earthquake

Related Words

See shiver ¹.

Other Word Forms

• quakingly adverb
• unquaking adjective

Etymology

Origin of quake

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

Example Sentences

Older borrowers, in particular, have felt the quakes in the student loan landscape since the interest on their debt has had more time — often, decades — to accrue.

From Salon

Irene said again through the door, her voice low but quaking.

From Literature

The quaking from the Frenchman’s trenches got louder.

From Literature

And you certainly can’t quake at the industry’s bleak state while refusing to be the change you wish to see.

From Salon

It’s those very works that made Goldin such a venerated powerhouse in the art world, and in turn, an activist who made the museum industry quake.

From Salon