shiver

¹

[ shiv-er ]

verb (used without object)

1. to shake or tremble with cold, fear, excitement, etc.
2. Nautical.
   1. (of a fore-and-aft sail) to shake when too close to the wind.
   2. (of a sailing vessel) to be headed so close to the wind that the sails shake.

noun

1. a tremulous motion; a tremble or quiver:

   The thought sent a shiver down her spine.

2. (the) shivers, an attack of shivering or chills.

shiver

²

[ shiv-er ]

verb (used with or without object)

1. to break or split into fragments.

noun

1. a fragment; splinter.

shiver

¹

/ ˈʃɪvə /

verb

1. to break or cause to break into fragments

noun

1. a splintered piece

shiver

²

/ ˈʃɪvə /

verb

1. to shake or tremble, as from cold or fear
2. 1. (of a sail) to luff; flap or shake
   2. (of a sailing vessel) to sail close enough to the wind to make the sails luff

noun

1. the act of shivering; a tremulous motion
2. the shivers
   an attack of shivering, esp through fear or illness

Derived Forms

• ˈshivering, adjective
• ˈshiverer, noun

Other Words From

• shiver·er noun
• shiver·ing·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of shiver¹

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English noun chivere; later sh-, apparently for the sake of alliteration in phrase chiver and shake

Origin of shiver²

1150–1200; (noun) Middle English schivere fragment; cognate with German Schiefer schist; (v.) Middle English schiveren, derivative of the noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of shiver¹

C13: of Germanic origin; compare Old High German scivaro, Middle Dutch scheveren to shiver, Old Norse skīfa to split

Origin of shiver²

C13 chiveren, perhaps variant of chevelen to chatter (used of teeth), from Old English ceafl jowl ¹

Synonym Study

Shiver, quake, shudder refer to a vibratory muscular movement, a trembling, usually involuntary. We shiver with cold, or a sensation such as that of cold: to shiver in thin clothing on a frosty day; to shiver with pleasant anticipation. We quake especially with fear: to quake with fright. We shudder with horror or abhorrence; the agitation is more powerful and deep-seated than shivering or trembling: to shudder at pictures of a concentration camp.

Example Sentences

By correlating a seismic event on one side of the world with the shiver it produces on the other, scientists infer what happened in between.

From Singularity Hub 

Threats to Taiwan, the self-governing island only slightly bigger than Maryland, are sending shivers through the global tech industry.

From Axios

There’s a hint of feminism in both books, and they’ll both give you shivers for months after you finish them.

From Washington Blade

It’s hard not to feel a shiver of apprehension for her as she walks, alone, down a long country road to knock on the door of a man who’s been avoiding her interview requests for years.

From Washington Post

Lauren Graham does beautiful things with her voice through the whole show, but the way she says, “Hey there, birthday girl,” with a hopeful, hesitant shiver in her tone, is a killer.

From Vox

You know, a novel comes not from a decision but a frisson, a sort of shiver that goes through you.

From The Daily Beast

When pressed on who he thought killed Kennedy, Nixon “would shiver and say, ‘Texas,’” said Stone.

From The Daily Beast

I remember being shocked that Shiver sold in 38 countries, because I thought it was such a particularly “me” story.

From The Daily Beast

The friction of those little strings still makes my skin shiver, but when in Rome… head to Malika.

From The Daily Beast

For Americans of a certain age, these words, even in our cynical time, yield a shiver of nostalgia, but also of purpose.

From The Daily Beast

Presently he began to shiver so, with some sort of a chill, that I took off my coat and wrapped it round him.

From Project Gutenberg

Still a-shiver at dawn, I saddled up and loped for the crest of the nearest divide to get the benefit of the first sun-rays.

From Project Gutenberg

Alfaretta's face assumed a look of great solemnity and a shiver of real fear ran over her.

From Project Gutenberg

It sent a shiver through me, and even old Piegan stood aghast at the malevolent determination of the man.

From Project Gutenberg

To his lifes end Tchaikovsky could never recall this hour without a shiver of horror.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• flutter
• quiver
• shudder
• vibrate