shudder

[shuhd-er]

verb (used without object)

to tremble with a sudden convulsive movement, as from horror, fear, or cold.

noun

a convulsive movement of the body, as from horror, fear, or cold.

Origin of shudder

1275–1325; Middle English shodderen (v.) (cognate with German schaudern < LG), frequentative of Old English scūdan to tremble; see -er⁶

Can be confusedshudder shutter

Synonyms for shudder

1. quiver. See shiver¹.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for shuddered

gyrate, shiver, tremble, convulse, twitter, wave, shimmy, quake, tremor, dither, jitter

Examples from the Web for shuddered

Contemporary Examples of shuddered

“In 20 years, this just might be a city of Taco Bells,” one restaurateur recently shuddered.
High Rents Are Killing the Restaurant Capital
Will Doig
October 28, 2014
It was a moment I instantly detected in my own recent past, and I shuddered with embarrassed recognition.
Time to Grow Up, Lena Dunham
Emily Shire
October 10, 2014
I shuddered at the thought of a President McCain, who wanted to acquire wars like new suits.
The Case Against Isolation
Michael Tomasky
September 13, 2013
In an interview with The Daily Beast, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren shuddered at the thought of a rate increase.
Congress Gets an ‘F’ on Student Loan Crisis
Eliza Shapiro, Ben Jacobs
June 28, 2013
As the mother of a 19-year-old myself, I shuddered at her words.
Introducing Angel Face
Tina Brown
March 22, 2010

Historical Examples of shuddered

He shuddered as he thought how near he had been to never meeting them again on earth.
Brave and Bold
Horatio Alger
"You're as thin as a starved—wolf," she said, and closed her eyes and shuddered.
Way of the Lawless
Max Brand
Sylvia shuddered, but had not power to turn away her white face from his gaze.
Sylph Etherege
Nathaniel Hawthorne
She shuddered, as with a mechanical movement she passed her fingers over her eyes.
The Dream
Emile Zola
He had such a distinct perception of ruin and death that he shuddered again.
The Secret Agent
Joseph Conrad

British Dictionary definitions for shuddered

shudder

verb

(intr) to shake or tremble suddenly and violently, as from horror, fear, aversion, etc

noun

the act of shuddering; convulsive shiver

Derived Formsshuddering, adjectiveshudderingly, adverbshuddery, adjective

Word Origin for shudder

C18: from Middle Low German schōderen; related to Old Frisian skedda to shake, Old High German skutten to shake

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

Word Origin and History for shuddered

shudder

early 14c., possibly from Middle Dutch schuderen "to shudder," or Middle Low German schoderen, both frequentative forms from Proto-Germanic *skuth- "to shake." Related: Shuddered; shuddering.

shudder

c.1600, from shudder (v.).