tremble
[verb]
Synonyms:
- shake, quake, quiver, shiver, shudder, totter, vibrate, wobble
[noun]
Synonyms:
- shake, quake, quiver, shiver, shudder, tremor, vibration, wobble

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Related Idioms: tremble like a leaf
Related Words: shrink, wince

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English Thesaurus: shake, shudder, tremble, shiver, quiver, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

trem‧ble /ˈtrembəl/ verb [intransitive]
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: trembler, from Latin tremulus 'shaking', from tremere 'to tremble']

1. to shake slightly in a way that you cannot control, especially because you are upset or frightened:
His lip started to tremble and then he started to cry.
tremble with anger/fear etc
Greene was on his feet now, his body trembling with rage.

2. to shake slightly:
The whole house trembled as the train went by.

3. if your voice trembles, it sounds nervous and unsteady

4. to be worried or frightened about something:
I tremble to think what will happen when she finds out.
—tremble noun [countable]

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

tremble
verb
ADV. badly, violently | helplessly, involuntarily, uncontrollably | a little, slightly | inside
VERB + TREMBLE begin to, start to I began to tremble uncontrollably.
make sb The thought made him tremble inside.
PREP. at She trembled at the thought of going back through those prison doors.
with trembling with anger
PHRASES tremble all over, tremble from head to foot/toe, tremble like a leaf

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

tremble
verb
BAD: It was so cold that I couldn't stop trembling.
GOOD: It was so cold that I couldn't stop shivering.

Usage Note:
You tremble when you are afraid, nervous, upset or excited: 'As she opened the envelope, her hands started trembling and she started to cry.' 'She trembled with excitement just at the thought of seeing him again.'
When you are cold, you shiver : 'I stoodat the bus stop shivering and wishing that I'd worn my coat.'

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲

shake if a person or part of their body shakes, they make small sudden continuous movements from side to side or up and down, especially because they are very frightened, cold, ill etc:
Suddenly he started to shake. ‘Don’t ever scare me like that again!’ he whispered.
The poor girl was shaking.
shudder to shake for a short time, especially because you think of something very unpleasant, or because you feel frightened or cold:
Corbett shuddered when he thought of what might have happened to them.
I shuddered when I read the article.
He was still shuddering with the cold.
She clung to him, shuddering with emotion.
tremble to shake slightly in a way that you cannot control, especially because you are frightened, worried, or angry:
Ernest opened the letter in silence, his hands trembling.
Her whole body trembled with fear.
He hadn’t dared to move. He was trembling with shock.
‘I won’t be coming back,’ she said, her body trembling with anger.
shiver to shake slightly, especially only a few times, because you are cold or frightened:
She shivered, pulling her coat closer around herself.
You make me shiver when you talk like that.
quiver especially literary to shake slightly and continuously because you are very worried or excited – used especially about someone’s lips, mouth, or body:
Her bottom lip began to quiver, and she turned away to hide her tears.
Alice’s eyes began to fill with tears and her mouth quivered. ‘I 'm going away,’ she said.
wobble to move unsteadily from side to side:
Mrs Hamilton wobbled precariously on her high heels.
rock to move gently backwards and forwards or from side to side:
He rocked to and fro in his chair.
rattle to shake and make a noise:
The windows rattled in the wind.
The train was rattling over the bridge.
vibrate to shake continuously with small fast movements:
The music was so loud that the whole room vibrated.
The atoms vibrate at different frequencies.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲