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quavery

 - 3 dictionary results

qua⋅ver

  [kwey-ver]
Use quavery in a Sentence
–verb (used without object)
1. to shake tremulously; quiver or tremble: He stood there quavering with fear.
2. to sound, speak, or sing tremulously: Her voice quavered a moment and then she regained control.
3. to perform trills in singing or on a musical instrument.
–verb (used with object)
4. to utter, say, or sing with a quavering or tremulous voice.
–noun
5. a quavering or tremulous shake, esp. in the voice.
6. a quavering tone or utterance.
7. Music (chiefly British). an eighth note.

Origin:
1400–50; late ME quaveren (v.), b. quake and waver 1

Related forms:
qua⋅ver⋅er, noun
qua⋅ver⋅ing⋅ly, adverb
qua⋅ver⋅y, qua⋅ver⋅ous, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To quavery
qua·ver   (kwā'vər)   
v.   qua·vered, qua·ver·ing, qua·vers

v.   intr.

  1. To quiver, as from weakness; tremble.

  2. To speak in a quivering voice; utter a quivering sound.

  3. Music To produce a trill on an instrument or with the voice.

v.   tr.
To utter or sing in a trilling voice.
n.  

  1. A quivering sound.

  2. A trill.

  3. Chiefly British An eighth note.


[Middle English quaveren, probably frequentative of cwavien, quaven, to tremble.]
qua'ver·ing·ly adv., qua'ver·y adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

quaver  (v.)
"to vibrate, tremble," 1430, probably frequentative of cwavien "to tremble, shake" (c.1225), probably related to Low Ger. quabbeln "tremble," possibly of imitative origin. Meaning "sing in trills or quavers" first recorded 1538. The noun meaning "musical note" is first recorded 1570.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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