tremble

[ trem-buhl ]
/ ˈtrɛm bəl /

verb (used without object), trem·bled, trem·bling.

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.

noun

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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 FOR tremble

1 shudder. See shake.
3 oscillate.

OTHER WORDS FROM tremble

trem·bling·ly, adverbun·trem·bling, adjectiveun·trem·bling·ly, adverb

Words nearby tremble

trellised, trelliswork, trematoda, trematode, trematodiasis, tremble, trembler, trembles, trembling poplar, trembly, tremendous
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to trembles

quiver, throb, wobble, shudder, shiver, flutter, totter, palpitate, teeter, jar, quake, rock, tremor, quaver, oscillate, jitter

Example sentences from the Web for trembles

British Dictionary definitions for trembles (1 of 2)

trembles
/ (ˈtrɛmbəlz) /

noun (functioning as singular)

Also called: milk sickness a disease of cattle and sheep characterized by muscular incoordination and tremor, caused by ingestion of white snakeroot or rayless goldenrod
a nontechnical name for Parkinson's disease

British Dictionary definitions for trembles (2 of 2)

tremble
/ (ˈtrɛmbəl) /

verb (intr)

to vibrate with short slight movements; quiver
to shake involuntarily, as with cold or fear; shiver
to experience fear or anxiety

noun

the act or an instance of trembling

Derived forms of tremble

trembling, adjectivetremblingly, adverbtrembly, adjective

Word Origin for tremble

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 Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012