quaver

qua·ver

Paul's voice quavered while giving his presentation to the class because he was very nervous.

noun

The definition of a quaver is a shake or tremble in your voice.
If you are about to give a speech and are really nervous and your voice comes out shaky, the shake in your voice is an example of a quaver.

verb

Quaver is a situation where your voice shakes, trembles or expresses uncertainty.
If you are about to give a speech and you are really nervous and your voice trembles instead of coming out clear and strong, this is an example of a time when your voice quavers.

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"quaver." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 14 March 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Quaver>.

APA Style

quaver. (n.d.). Retrieved March 14th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Quaver

quaver

to shake or tremble
to be tremulous: said of the voice
Music to make a trill or trills in singing or playing

Origin of quaver

Middle English quaveren, frequentative of Early Middle English cwafien, to shake, tremble from Old English an unverified form cwafian, probably from Indo-European base an unverified form gw?bh-, wobbly, flabby, tadpole from source German quappe and Dutch kwabbe, tadpole

to utter in a tremulous voice
Music to sing or play with a trill or trills

a tremulous quality in a voice or tone
Brit. eighth note

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Link to this page

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MLA Style

"quaver." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 14 March 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Quaver>.

APA Style

quaver. (n.d.). Retrieved March 14th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Quaver

quaver

verb

qua·vered, qua·ver·ing, qua·vers

verb

intransitive

To quiver, as from weakness; tremble.
To speak in a quivering voice; utter a quivering sound.
Music To produce a trill on an instrument or with the voice.

verb

transitive

To utter or sing in a trilling voice.

noun

A quivering sound.
Music
a. A trill.
b. An eighth note.

Origin of quaver

Middle English quaveren probably frequentative of cwavien, quaven to tremble

Related Forms:

qua′ver·ing·ly
adverb

qua′ver·y
adjective

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"quaver." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 14 March 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Quaver>.

APA Style

quaver. (n.d.). Retrieved March 14th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Quaver

Noun

(plural quavers)

a trembling shake.
a trembling of the voice, as in speaking or singing.
(music) an eighth note, drawn as a crotchet (quarter note) with a tail.

Verb

(third-person singular simple present quavers, present participle quavering, simple past and past participle quavered)

to shake in a trembling manner.
(intransitive) to use the voice in a trembling manner, as in speaking or singing.
To utter quaveringly.

Origin

From Middle English quaveren, frequentative form of quaven, cwavien (“to tremble"), equivalent to quave +"Ž -er. Cognate with Low German quabbeln (“to quiver"), German quabbeln, quappeln (“to quiver"). More at quave, quab, quiver.

English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.

Link/Cite

Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"quaver." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 14 March 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Quaver>.

APA Style

quaver. (n.d.). Retrieved March 14th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Quaver

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