shiver

UK: /ˈʃɪvə^r/ US: /ˈʃɪvɚ/ ,(shiv′ər)

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

shiv•er¹ /ˈʃɪvɚ/  v. [no object]

1. to shake or tremble with cold, fear, etc.:
   He came in from the cold, shivering violently.

n. [countable]

2. an unsteady, shaking motion:
   a little shiver of fear.

shiv•er•y, adj. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

shiv•er¹  (shiv′ər), v.i. 

1. to shake or tremble with cold, fear, excitement, etc.
2. Nautical, Naval Terms
   • (of a fore-and-aft sail) to shake when too close to the wind.
   • (of a sailing vessel) to be headed so close to the wind that the sails shake.

n. 

3. a tremulous motion;
   a tremble or quiver:
   The thought sent a shiver down her spine.
4. shivers, an attack of shivering or chills (usually preceded by the).

• 1150–1200; Middle English chivere (noun, nominal); later sh-, apparently for the sake of alliteration in phrase chiver and shake

shiv′er•er, n. 
shiv′er•ing•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 1. Shiver, quake, shudder refer to a vibratory muscular movement, a trembling, usually involuntary. We shiver with cold, or a sensation such as that of cold:
  to shiver in thin clothing on a frosty day; to shiver with pleasant anticipation.
  We quake esp. with fear:
  to quake with fright.
  We shudder with horror or abhorrence; the agitation is more powerful and deep-seated than shivering or trembling:
  to shudder at pictures of a concentration camp.

shiv•er²  (shiv′ər), v.t., v.i. 

1. to break or split into fragments.

n. 

2. a fragment;
   splinter.

• 1150–1200; (noun, nominal) Middle English schivere fragment; cognate with German Schiefer schist; (verb, verbal) Middle English schiveren, derivative of the noun, nominal

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

shiver / ˈʃɪvə/ verb (intransitive)

1. to shake or tremble, as from cold or fear

noun

1. the act of shivering; a tremulous motion
2. the shivers ⇒ an attack of shivering, esp through fear or illness

Etymology: 13th Century chiveren, perhaps variant of chevelen to chatter (used of teeth), from Old English ceafl jowl¹

ˈshiverer noun

ˈshivering adjective

shiver / ˈʃɪvə/ verb

1. to break or cause to break into fragments

noun

1. a splintered piece

Etymology: 13th Century: of Germanic origin; compare Old High German scivaro, Middle Dutch scheveren to shiver, Old Norse skīfa to split