quaking
Use Quaking in a sentence
verb (used without object)
1.
(of persons) to shake or tremble from cold, weakness, fear, anger, or the like: He spoke boldly even though his legs were quaking.
2.
(of things) to shake or tremble, as from shock, internal convulsion, or instability: The earth suddenly began to quake.
noun
3.
an earthquake.
4.
a trembling or tremulous agitation.
Origin:
before 900; Middle English; Old English cwacian to shake, tremble
before 900; Middle English; Old English cwacian to shake, tremble
Related forms
quak·ing·ly, adverb
un·quak·ing, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
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Link To quaking
00:10
Quaking
is always a great word to know.
So is ninnyhammer. Does it mean:
| a fool or simpleton; ninny. |
| a screen or mat covered with a dark material for shielding a camera lens from excess light or glare. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
quake (kweɪk) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —vb | |
| 1. | to shake or tremble with or as with fear |
| 2. | to convulse or quiver, as from instability |
| —n | |
| 3. | the act or an instance of quaking |
| 4. | informal short for earthquake |
| [Old English cwacian; related to Old English cweccan to shake, Old Irish bocaim, German wackeln] | |
| quaking (ˈkweɪkɪŋ) | |
| —adj | |
| unstable or unsafe to walk on, as a bog or quicksand: a quaking bog; quaking sands | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
quake
O.E. cwacian "quake, tremble, chatter (of teeth)," related to cweccan "to shake, swing, move, vibrate," of unknown origin with no certain cognates outside Eng. Perhaps somehow imitative. The noun is attested from c.1300, but was rare except in combinations.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
Photosynthesis is maximized with the increased exposure to sunlight created by the quaking leaves.
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