jitter

[ jit-er ]

noun

1. (the) jitters, nervousness; a feeling of fright or uneasiness:

   Every time I have to make a speech, I get the jitters.

2. fluctuations in the image on a television screen or in copy received by facsimile transmission, caused by interference or by momentary failures of synchronization.
3. Computers. delay or unevenness in an audio or video signal caused by inconsistency in the interval between the sending and receiving of data packets over a network connection (also used attributively):

   Using this algorithm dramatically increases throughput while reducing jitter and end-to-end delay.

   The jitter buffer collects incoming data packets and sends them on to the receiver at a consistent rate.

verb (used without object)

1. to feel or express nervousness or behave nervously:

   There are some people who jitter about every new technology.

   As soon as I’m five minutes late coming home, my parents start jittering.

2. to move rapidly and unevenly, often with small movements:

   My heartbeat jittered as I waited for the boss in her office.

   I watched as his expert fingers jittered across the keyboard.

3. (of transmitted images or sounds) to undergo delayed or uneven reception:

   How can I keep the picture from jittering when I’m gaming?

   I missed parts of the meeting because my computer's audio jittered.

4. to vary or fluctuate slightly:

   The difference between time allotted and time used will likely jitter by a day or two for each phase of your project.

verb (used with object)

1. to cause to move or shake rapidly, often with small movements:

   We drove over a rough patch that jittered the car a bit.

   He slammed the door so hard it jittered the window blinds.

2. Computers. to intentionally introduce slight variation or fluctuation in (digital images or sounds) in order to achieve a desired effect; stagger or offset:

   I had the program jitter the data points to avoid overlap when graphing the results.

   You can create a trailing blur behind a moving object if you jitter the object, dimming it at each successive position.

jitter

/ ˈdʒɪtə /

verb

1. intr to be anxious or nervous

noun

1. the jitters
   nervousness and anxiety
2. electronics small rapid variations in the amplitude or timing of a waveform arising from fluctuations in the voltage supply, mechanical vibrations, etc

Word History and Origins

Origin of jitter¹

First recorded in 1920–25; variant of chitter “to shiver” ( Middle English chiteren ), modification or variant of chatter

Word History and Origins

Origin of jitter¹

C20: of unknown origin

Example Sentences

He thought the prospect of victory triggered jitters that put it back out of his team's reach.

From BBC

Aside from a case of “the jitters,” Martin reassured fans he didn’t suffer any injuries.

From Los Angeles Times

Only Sciver-Brunt and, agonisingly Knight before her injury, looked fluent as the early jitters were understandably on show and in the end only 13 boundaries were scored.

From BBC

Showing no early jitters, Martin completed nine of his first 11 passes while quieting a crowd of 110,047 that was the 10th biggest in the history of this stadium.

From Los Angeles Times

This year, she delivered a forceful address that acknowledged international jitters over the direction the U.S. might take under a new Trump administration.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• convulse
• pulsate
• shiver
• shudder
• throb
• tremble