quiver

1 of 3

noun (1)

quiv·​er ˈkwi-vər How to pronounce quiver (audio)
1
: a case for carrying or holding arrows
2
: the arrows in a quiver

quiver

2 of 3

verb

quivered; quivering ˈkwi-və-riŋ How to pronounce quiver (audio)
ˈkwiv-riŋ

intransitive verb

: to shake or move with a slight trembling motion
quiveringly adverb

quiver

3 of 3

noun (2)

: the act or action of quivering : tremor

Examples of quiver in a Sentence

Verb Her lips quivered when she heard the bad news. aspen leaves quivering in the breeze
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Lynn Reaser, economist YES: The return of the pandas will be another quiver tourist officials will have in their arrow kit to sponsor San Diego. Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Mar. 2024 In fact, these boots can become a one-pair quiver for all of your winter needs. Maggie Slepian, Travel + Leisure, 9 Feb. 2024 The armor was equipped with a wooden quiver holding arrows, a bow and a sword, archaeologists said. Moira Ritter, Miami Herald, 1 Feb. 2024 Birdsong flicks and flutters in the air and her eyes follow it, darting side to side, blinking and rolling with every tiny quiver in the melody. Sara Holdren, Vulture, 25 Jan. 2024 The most recent is the RS 6 Avant GT, the most potent arrow in Audi’s quiver and the final model in the RS 6 Avant lineage, the fourth series of which was launched in 2019. Robert Ross, Robb Report, 6 Feb. 2024 But what? Animals, according to somatic therapists, tremble and quiver to discharge stress. Rachel Sherman Lanna Apisukh, New York Times, 13 Nov. 2023 But the power of the courts is clearly becoming one more arrow in the environmentalists’ quiver. TIME, 4 Jan. 2024 Curt Belser took this image of the Milky Way Galaxy rising over a quiver tree in May as part of a photography tour of Namibia. Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 1 Nov. 2023
Verb
But has the final stretch of a movie ever leaned so heavily on the quivering chin of one actor? Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 2024 What of the quivering ears and palpitating throats that cause ear-splitting sonic vibrations and juddering visuals, prompting time-loop repetitions? David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Feb. 2024 Nancy Iskander sobbed at the memory, her voice quivering. Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2024 But the actors who haunt the Edge of Hell and the Beast have only one goal: to reduce us to quivering blobs of fear. Robert Trussell, Kansas City Star, 25 Jan. 2024 Heart rates in this range are often caused by ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation, which are potentially lethal heart rhythms resulting from the lower chamber of the heart beating too quickly or quivering. Virginia Singla, Discover Magazine, 15 Dec. 2023 Rea and Nolan are a phenomenal double act, wonderfully sharp as comedians and, when the play takes its turn, suddenly stomach-wrenching as two men reduced to puddles of quivering fear. Sara Holdren, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2023 His voice quivering at times, Hall described seeing improper handling of ballots, with a particular emphasis on a lunch area outside the reach of security cameras. Isaac Stanley-Becker, Anchorage Daily News, 19 Sep. 2023 Winslet wears the weight of that emotion in her face, which quivers as her character processes unseen and unknown (to us) traumas. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'quiver.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Anglo-French quivre, of Germanic origin; akin to Old English cocer quiver, Old High German kohhari

Verb

Middle English, probably from quiver agile, quick; akin to Old English cwiferlice zealously

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1786, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of quiver was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near quiver

Cite this Entry

“Quiver.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quiver. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

quiver

1 of 3 noun
quiv·​er ˈkwiv-ər How to pronounce quiver (audio)
1
: a case for carrying arrows
2
: the arrows in a quiver

quiver

2 of 3 verb
quivered; quivering ˈkwiv-(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce quiver (audio)
: to move with a slight shaking motion

quiver

3 of 3 noun
: the act or action of quivering : tremor
Etymology

Noun

Middle English quiver "a case for carrying arrows," from early French quivre (same meaning); of Germanic origin

Verb

Middle English quiveren "to quiver," probably from quiver "agile, quick"

More from Merriam-Webster on quiver

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!