shiver

1 of 4

noun (1)

shiv·​er ˈshi-vər How to pronounce shiver (audio)
: one of the small pieces into which a brittle thing is broken by sudden violence

shiver

2 of 4

verb (1)

shivered; shivering ˈshi-və-riŋ How to pronounce shiver (audio)
ˈshiv-riŋ

transitive + intransitive

: to break into many small pieces : shatter

shiver

3 of 4

verb (2)

shivered; shivering

intransitive verb

1
: to undergo trembling : quiver
2
: to tremble in the wind as it strikes first one and then the other side (of a sail)

transitive verb

: to cause (a sail) to shiver by steering close to the wind

shiver

4 of 4

noun (2)

1
: an instance of shivering : tremble
2
: an intense shivery sensation especially of fear
often used in plural with the
horror movies give him the shivers
3
: a hard blow (as with a forearm) especially to the head or neck

Examples of shiver in a Sentence

Noun (2) the prisoner experienced a sudden shiver when confronted with the sight of the dark basement looking down from the window ledge sent shivers up my spine
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Across the album, subtle grooves surge and then collapse; ambient loops swell and shiver away. Pitchfork, 1 Oct. 2024 Nearly 85,000 fans shivered in the stands amid 20-degree temperature and 17 mph wind — though Ohio State coach Woody Hayes refused to acknowledge the cold, wearing short sleeves on the sideline, according to a Tribune article the next day. Chicago Tribune, 11 Aug. 2024 At the site one morning this spring, dozens of arrivals from around the world shivered in the wind and huddled near campfires that reeked of burning plastic. Nick Miroff, Washington Post, 29 July 2024 Even for those of us who have grown up shivering through Australia’s surprisingly cold winters, June rolls around each year and catches us by surprise again. Kate McGregor, refinery29.com, 19 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for shiver 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'shiver.' 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

Noun (1)

Middle English; akin to Old High German scivaro splinter

Verb (2)

Middle English, alteration of chiveren

First Known Use

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun (2)

1727, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of shiver was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near shiver

Cite this Entry

“Shiver.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shiver. Accessed 10 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

shiver

1 of 4 noun
shiv·​er ˈshiv-ər How to pronounce shiver (audio)
: one of the small pieces into which a brittle thing is broken by great force

shiver

2 of 4 verb
shivered; shivering ˈshiv-(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce shiver (audio)
: to break into many small pieces : shatter

shiver

3 of 4 verb
shivered; shivering
ˈshiv-(ə-)riŋ
: to shake involuntarily (as from cold or fear)

shiver

4 of 4 noun
1
: an instance of shivering
2
: a thrill of emotion and especially of fear
usually used in plural with the
a ghost story that would give you the shivers
Etymology

Noun

Middle English shiver "a small piece of something that is broken"

Verb

Middle English shiveren, an altered form of chiveren "to tremble, shiver"

Medical Definition

shiver

1 of 2 intransitive verb
shiv·​er ˈshiv-ər How to pronounce shiver (audio)
: to undergo trembling : experience rapid involuntary muscular twitching especially in response to cold

shiver

2 of 2 noun
: an instance of shivering

More from Merriam-Webster on shiver

Last Updated: - Definition revised
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