tremble
[trem-buh l]
- to shake involuntarily with quick, short movements, as from fear, excitement, weakness, or cold; quake; quiver.
- to be troubled with fear or apprehension.
- (of things) to be affected with vibratory motion.
- to be tremulous, as light or sound: His voice trembled.
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- the act of trembling.
- a state or fit of trembling.
- trembles, (used with a singular verb)
- Pathology.milk sickness.
- Veterinary Pathology.a toxic condition of cattle and sheep caused by the eating of white snakeroot and characterized by muscular tremors.
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Origin of tremble
1275–1325; Middle English trem(b)len (v.) < Old French trembler < Vulgar Latin *tremulāre, derivative of Latin tremulus tremulous
Synonyms
See more synonyms for tremble on Thesaurus.comDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for trembled
Contemporary Examples
“He turned pale, trembled to a great degree, was much agitated, and began to cry,” she told the court.
When the queen heard this once again, she trembled and shook with rage.
Before I could move she flattened her belly to the ground, crouched, trembled, and sprang into his face.
Read ‘The King in Yellow,’ the ‘True Detective’ Reference That’s the Key to the ShowRobert W. Chambers
February 20, 2014
Then, as I trembled with fear, the driver turned and looked straight at me.
Read ‘The King in Yellow,’ the ‘True Detective’ Reference That’s the Key to the ShowRobert W. Chambers
February 20, 2014
Historical Examples
The spirit of the strong man was moved, and he trembled like a leaf shaken by the wind.
PhilotheaLydia Maria Child
He appeared very frightened, and trembled from head to foot.
Explorations in AustraliaJohn Forrest
I could see and hear all that was going on, and trembled for my safety.
Biography of a SlaveCharles Thompson
She had expected to see the doctor, and started and trembled at sight of Hester.
Weighed and WantingGeorge MacDonald
When he had only kissed her arm—He trembled a little at the memory.
KMary Roberts Rinehart
tremble
- to vibrate with short slight movements; quiver
- to shake involuntarily, as with cold or fear; shiver
- to experience fear or anxiety
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- the act or an instance of trembling
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Word Origin
C14: from Old French trembler, from Medieval Latin tremulāre, from Latin tremulus quivering, from tremere to quake
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for trembled
tremble
v.
c.1300, "shake from fear, cold, etc.," from Old French trembler "tremble, fear" (11c.), from Vulgar Latin *tremulare (source of Italian tremolare, Spanish temblar), from Latin tremulus "trembling, tremulous," from tremere "to tremble, shiver, quake," from PIE *trem- "to tremble" (cf. Greek tremein "to shiver, tremble," Lithuanian trimu "to chase away," Old Church Slavonic treso "to shake," Gothic þramstei "grasshopper"). A native word for this was Old English bifian. Related: Trembled; trembling. The noun is recorded from c.1600.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper