quiver

1 of 3

noun (1)

quiv·​er ˈkwi-vər 

1

: a case for carrying or holding arrows

2

: the arrows in a quiver

quiver

2 of 3

verb

quivered; quivering ˈkwi-və-riŋ 

ˈkwiv-riŋ

intransitive verb

: to shake or move with a slight trembling motion

quiveringly adverb

quiver

3 of 3

noun (2)

: the act or action of quivering : tremor

Synonyms

Verb

• agitate
• bucket
• convulse
• jerk
• jiggle
• joggle
• jolt
• jounce
• judder [chiefly British]
• quake
• shake
• shudder
• vibrate
• wobble
• wabble

Noun (2)

• shiver
• shudder
• tremble

Examples of quiver in a Sentence

Verb

Her lips quivered when she heard the bad news.

aspen leaves quivering in the breeze

Noun (2)

a quiver ran through the audience when the monster cornered the movie's hero

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The inverse relationship between global growth and the benefit to the Indian economy appears to be another arrow in India’s quiver. —Ganesh Rao, CNBC, 17 Apr. 2025

O’Neill then celebrated the sack by emptying the quiver on Hilltoppers quarterback Caden Veltkamp. —Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 19 Dec. 2024

Verb

The journalist raised her hand, and her voice quivered in seeming alarm as the 6.2-magnitude quake shook Istanbul shortly before 1 p.m. local time on Wednesday, April 23. —Anna Lazarus Caplan, People.com, 23 Apr. 2025

Five minutes before the show was to start, nine rows of bleachers in a temporary grandstand, hastily assembled, quivered and crashed, swallowing about 600 men, women and children. —Mike Klingaman, Baltimore Sun, 21 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Anglo-French quivre, of Germanic origin; akin to Old English cocer quiver, Old High German kohhari

Verb

Middle English, probably from quiver agile, quick; akin to Old English cwiferlice zealously

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1786, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for quiver

• giver
• liver
• livre
• river
• shiver
• sliver
• caregiver
• deliver
• downriver
• lawgiver
• upriver

Kids Definition

quiver

1 of 3 noun

quiv·​er ˈkwiv-ər 

1

: a case for carrying arrows

2

: the arrows in a quiver

quiver

2 of 3 verb

quivered; quivering ˈkwiv-(ə-)riŋ 

: to move with a slight shaking motion

quiver

3 of 3 noun

: the act or action of quivering : tremor

Etymology

Noun

Middle English quiver "a case for carrying arrows," from early French quivre (same meaning); of Germanic origin

Verb

Middle English quiveren "to quiver," probably from quiver "agile, quick"