shiver

shiver — verb

1. to experience short, rapid shaking movements of the body, typically as a physica

1.verbintransitiveB1
Definition

to experience short, rapid shaking movements of the body, typically as a physical reaction to being very cold, having a high temperature, or feeling sudden fear

Example

Walid shivered in the freezing wind while waiting for the morning bus.

shiver + in/with + cause (cold)

The stray cat shivered under the car, its wet fur offering no warmth.

Common collocations
  • shiver with cold
  • shiver with fear
  • shiver uncontrollably
  • shiver violently
  • shiver in the wind
  • make someone shiver
Synonyms
  • tremble

    a more general word for shaking that can come from any emotion or physical weakness

  • shudder

    a single stronger spasm, often from disgust or horror

  • quake

    a more violent shaking, as from intense fear or an earthquake

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

shiver

shiver + with + cause

shiver + at + stimulus

Usage Note

Most often used with 'with' to name the cause (shiver with cold / shiver with fear). Can also be followed by 'at' for a sudden stimulus (shiver at the sound).

Common Mistakes

She shivered from excitement.
She shivered with excitement.
'shiver with' is the standard prepositional pattern for naming the cause.
The tree shivered in the wind.
The tree shook/trembled in the wind.
'shiver' is only for living creatures, not objects.

shiver — noun

Word family

  • shivers
    noun (plural)B2
  • shivery
    adjectiveB2
  • shivering
    adjectiveB1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

Shiver, tremble, shudder, quiver, and shake all describe involuntary body movement, but each has a distinct core use. Shiver is most closely tied to cold — your body shivers to generate heat when you are cold — though it also fits fear and fever. Tremble is a lighter, more continuous vibration driven by anxiety, excitement, or physical weakness (her voice trembled as she spoke). Shudder is a single, stronger spasm triggered by disgust, horror, or a deeply unsettling thought (he shuddered at the memory). Quiver suggests very fast, small-scale vibration, often of a body part like the lips, voice, or eyelid. Shake is the broadest word, covering any to-and-fro motion, from a handshake to trembling with rage. Use shiver when the cause is clearly physical cold, a high fever, or a sudden fright; use tremble for nervousness and shudder for revulsion.

shiver ↗tremble ↗shudder ↗quivershake ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • give someone the shivers
  • send a shiver down
  • a shiver runs through

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The verb shiver first appeared in Middle English around the 13th century. It probably comes from an Old English word related to 'chiveren', meaning to chatter or shake, as teeth chatter from cold. A separate word 'shiver' (meaning a small broken piece or splinter) comes from a different Germanic root related to 'shive', and the two words have merged in spelling over time, though modern dictionaries treat them as distinct entries.