quake

1 of 2

verb

quaked; quaking

intransitive verb

1
: to shake or vibrate usually from shock or instability
2
: to tremble or shudder usually from cold or fear

quake

2 of 2

noun

: an instance of shaking or trembling (as of the earth or moon)
especially : earthquake

Examples of quake in a Sentence

Verb She was quaking with rage. The explosion made the whole house quake. Noun the quake registered 6.5 on the Richter scale, causing widespread damage
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The album’s title track—easily one of the best pop songs of the twenty-tens—is a rich, lashing ode to being young and hot and quaking with desire. Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 23 Sep. 2024 Morgan gazed around at the quaking cottonwood and sycamore leaves blocking out the sun there in the Chiricahuas, the tall Sky Island range in far southeastern Arizona whose year-round stream with picturesque cascades attracts migrating trogons and, in turn, trogon watchers each year. Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 22 Sep. 2024
Noun
The quakes hit as three large wildfires continue to burn in Southern California. Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 12 Sep. 2024 The quake was centered about 4 miles north of Malibu and was felt east across Los Angeles County, as far north as Bakersfield and south to San Diego, United States Geological Survey officials said. Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 12 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for quake 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'quake.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Old English cwacian

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of quake was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near quake

Cite this Entry

“Quake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quake. Accessed 5 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

quake

1 of 2 verb
quaked; quaking
1
: to shake or vibrate usually from shock or lack of stability
2
: to tremble or shudder usually from cold or fear

quake

2 of 2 noun
: a shaking or trembling
especially : earthquake

More from Merriam-Webster on quake

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!