Shiver
/ˈʃɪv.ər/noun
To shake or tremble, especially in response to cold or fear.
Did you know?The word 'shiver' is linked to the Old English term for 'to shake,' emphasizing how our bodies react to both cold and fear, hinting at deeper primal instincts.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*skifran
“to shake, tremble, or quiver”
Old English
OE
scīfan
“to shake or tremble, often due to cold or fear”
Middle English
ME
shiveren
“to shudder or tremble, particularly in fear or cold”
Modern English
English
shiver
“to shake or tremble, retaining the original sense of physical reaction to fear or cold.”