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View synonyms for shiver

shiver

1

[ shiv-er ]

verb (used without object)

  1. to shake or tremble with cold, fear, excitement, etc.
  2. Nautical.
    1. (of a fore-and-aft sail) to shake when too close to the wind.
    2. (of a sailing vessel) to be headed so close to the wind that the sails shake.


noun

  1. a tremulous motion; a tremble or quiver:

    The thought sent a shiver down her spine.

  2. (the) shivers, an attack of shivering or chills.

shiver

2

[ shiv-er ]

verb (used with or without object)

  1. to break or split into fragments.

noun

  1. a fragment; splinter.

shiver

1

/ ˈʃɪvə /

verb

  1. to break or cause to break into fragments
“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


noun

  1. a splintered piece
“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

shiver

2

/ ˈʃɪvə /

verb

  1. to shake or tremble, as from cold or fear
    1. (of a sail) to luff; flap or shake
    2. (of a sailing vessel) to sail close enough to the wind to make the sails luff
“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

noun

  1. the act of shivering; a tremulous motion
  2. the shivers
    an attack of shivering, esp through fear or illness
“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
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Derived Forms

  • ˈshivering, adjective
  • ˈshiverer, noun
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Other Words From

  • shiver·er noun
  • shiver·ing·ly adverb
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Word History and Origins

Origin of shiver1

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English noun chivere; later sh-, apparently for the sake of alliteration in phrase chiver and shake

Origin of shiver2

1150–1200; (noun) Middle English schivere fragment; cognate with German Schiefer schist; (v.) Middle English schiveren, derivative of the noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of shiver1

C13: of Germanic origin; compare Old High German scivaro, Middle Dutch scheveren to shiver, Old Norse skīfa to split

Origin of shiver2

C13 chiveren, perhaps variant of chevelen to chatter (used of teeth), from Old English ceafl jowl 1
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Synonym Study

Shiver, quake, shudder refer to a vibratory muscular movement, a trembling, usually involuntary. We shiver with cold, or a sensation such as that of cold: to shiver in thin clothing on a frosty day; to shiver with pleasant anticipation. We quake especially with fear: to quake with fright. We shudder with horror or abhorrence; the agitation is more powerful and deep-seated than shivering or trembling: to shudder at pictures of a concentration camp.
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Example Sentences

By correlating a seismic event on one side of the world with the shiver it produces on the other, scientists infer what happened in between.

Threats to Taiwan, the self-governing island only slightly bigger than Maryland, are sending shivers through the global tech industry.

From Axios

There’s a hint of feminism in both books, and they’ll both give you shivers for months after you finish them.

It’s hard not to feel a shiver of apprehension for her as she walks, alone, down a long country road to knock on the door of a man who’s been avoiding her interview requests for years.

Lauren Graham does beautiful things with her voice through the whole show, but the way she says, “Hey there, birthday girl,” with a hopeful, hesitant shiver in her tone, is a killer.

From Vox

You know, a novel comes not from a decision but a frisson, a sort of shiver that goes through you.

When pressed on who he thought killed Kennedy, Nixon “would shiver and say, ‘Texas,’” said Stone.

I remember being shocked that Shiver sold in 38 countries, because I thought it was such a particularly “me” story.

The friction of those little strings still makes my skin shiver, but when in Rome… head to Malika.

For Americans of a certain age, these words, even in our cynical time, yield a shiver of nostalgia, but also of purpose.

Presently he began to shiver so, with some sort of a chill, that I took off my coat and wrapped it round him.

Still a-shiver at dawn, I saddled up and loped for the crest of the nearest divide to get the benefit of the first sun-rays.

Alfaretta's face assumed a look of great solemnity and a shiver of real fear ran over her.

It sent a shiver through me, and even old Piegan stood aghast at the malevolent determination of the man.

To his lifes end Tchaikovsky could never recall this hour without a shiver of horror.

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Shivelyshivering owl