tremble

[trem-buh l] /ˈtrɛm bəl/
verb (used without object), trembled, trembling.
1.
to shake involuntarily with quick, short movements, as from fear, excitement, weakness, or cold; quake; quiver.
2.
to be troubled with fear or apprehension.
3.
(of things) to be affected with vibratory motion.
4.
to be tremulous, as light or sound:
His voice trembled.
noun
5.
the act of trembling.
6.
a state or fit of trembling.
7.
trembles, (used with a singular verb)
  1. Pathology, milk sickness.
  2. Veterinary Pathology. a toxic condition of cattle and sheep caused by the eating of white snakeroot and characterized by muscular tremors.
Origin
1275-1325; Middle English trem(b)len (v.) < Old French trembler < Vulgar Latin *tremulāre, derivative of Latin tremulus tremulous
Related forms
tremblingly, adverb
untrembling, adjective
untremblingly, adverb
Synonyms
1. shudder. See shake. 3. oscillate.
Examples from the web for tremble
  • They shiver and tremble and act out to the awful imperatives of mental illness.
  • Even he, however, might tremble at the thought of what he is about to do.
  • Most fascinating is a feature that would make any journalist tremble.
  • Playing for himself, he makes the opposition tremble in its spikes and put their sports psychologists on speed dial.
  • They are reluctant to raise interest rates to prevent a bubble, but they are quick to cut rates if financial markets tremble.
  • Playing for himself, he makes opponents tremble in their spikes and put their sports psychologists on speed dial.
  • Real or imagined, the fear of a chemical weapons drop that made easterners tremble has receded.
  • The citizens of this country tremble at the thought that these are the people governing them.
  • Politicians know this and tremble lest anyone remind voters about their gullibility.
  • The power of the ship's rockets made the viewing stands tremble and sent waves of noise rolling across the cape.
British Dictionary definitions for tremble

tremble

/ˈtrɛmbəl/
verb (intransitive)
1.
to vibrate with short slight movements; quiver
2.
to shake involuntarily, as with cold or fear; shiver
3.
to experience fear or anxiety
noun
4.
the act or an instance of trembling
Derived Forms
trembling, adjective
tremblingly, adverb
trembly, adjective
Word Origin
C14: from Old French trembler, from Medieval Latin tremulāre, from Latin tremulus quivering, from tremere to quake
Word Origin and History for 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.