quake

UK: /ˈkweɪk/ US: /kweɪk/ ,(kwāk)

Inflections of 'quake' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

quakes

v 3rd person singular

quaking

v pres p

quaked

v past

quaked

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

quake /kweɪk/   v., quaked, quak•ing, n. 
v. [no object]

1. to shudder or quiver, as from cold or fear.
2. to shake or tremble, as from shock:
   The earth quaked.

n. [countable]

3. an act or instance of quaking, esp. an earthquake.

quak•y, adj., -i•er, -i•est.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

quake  (kwāk), v., quaked, quak•ing, n. 
v.i. 

1. (of persons) to shake or tremble from cold, weakness, fear, anger, or the like:
   He spoke boldly even though his legs were quaking.
2. (of things) to shake or tremble, as from shock, internal convulsion, or instability:
   The earth suddenly began to quake.

n. 
3. an earthquake.
4. a trembling or tremulous agitation.
• bef. 900; Middle English; Old English cwacian to shake, tremble
quak′ing•ly, adv. 
Synonyms
• 1. shudder. See shiver ¹.
• 2. quiver.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

quake / kweɪk/ verb (intransitive)

1. to shake or tremble with or as with fear
2. to convulse or quiver, as from instability

noun

1. the act or an instance of quaking
2. 
   short for earthquake

Etymology: Old English cwacian; related to Old English cweccan to shake, Old Irish bocaim, German wackeln