Word Study
shiver
CIDE DICTIONARY
shiver, n. [OE. schivere, fr. shive; cf. G. schifer a splinter, slate, OHG. scivere a splinter, Dan. & Sw. skifer a slate. See Shive, and cf. Skever.].
- One of the small pieces, or splinters, into which a brittle thing is broken by sudden violence; -- generally used in the plural. Milton. [1913 Webster]
- A thin slice; a shive. Fuller. [1913 Webster]"Of your soft bread, not but a shiver." [1913 Webster]
- A variety of blue slate. [1913 Webster]
- A sheave or small wheel in a pulley. [1913 Webster]
- A small wedge, as for fastening the bolt of a window shutter. [1913 Webster]
- A spindle. [1913 Webster]
shiver, v. t. [OE. schiveren, scheveren; cf. OD. scheveren. See Shiver a fragment.].
To break into many small pieces, or splinters; to shatter; to dash to pieces by a blow; as, to shiver a glass goblet. [1913 Webster]
"All the ground
With shivered armor strown." [1913 Webster]
With shivered armor strown." [1913 Webster]
shiver, v. i.
To separate suddenly into many small pieces or parts; to be shattered. [1913 Webster]
"There shiver shafts upon shields thick." [1913 Webster]
"The natural world, should gravity once cease, . . . would instantly shiver into millions of atoms." [1913 Webster]
shiver, v. i. [OE. chiveren, cheveren; of uncertain origin. This word seems to have been confused with shiver to shatter.].
To tremble; to vibrate; to quiver; to shake, as from cold or fear. [1913 Webster]
"Prometheus is laid
On icy Caucasus to shiver." [1913 Webster]
On icy Caucasus to shiver." [1913 Webster]
"The man that shivered on the brink of sin,
Thus steeled and hardened, ventures boldly in." [1913 Webster]
Thus steeled and hardened, ventures boldly in." [1913 Webster]
shiver, v. t.
To cause to shake or tremble, as a sail, by steering close to the wind. [1913 Webster]
shiver, n.
The act of shivering or trembling. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
shiver, v. & n.
--v.intr.
1 tremble with cold, fear, etc.
2 suffer a quick trembling movement of the body; shudder.
--n.
1 a momentary shivering movement.
2 (in pl.) an attack of shivering, esp. from fear or horror (got the shivers in the dark).
--v.intr.
1 tremble with cold, fear, etc.
2 suffer a quick trembling movement of the body; shudder.
--n.
1 a momentary shivering movement.
2 (in pl.) an attack of shivering, esp. from fear or horror (got the shivers in the dark).
Derivative
shiverer n. shiveringly adv. shivery adj.
shiver, n. & v.
--n. (esp. in pl.) each of the small pieces into which esp. glass is shattered when broken; a splinter.
--v.tr. & intr. break into shivers.
--n. (esp. in pl.) each of the small pieces into which esp. glass is shattered when broken; a splinter.
--v.tr. & intr. break into shivers.
Idiom
shiver my timbers a reputed piratical curse.
Etymology
ME scifre, rel. to OHG scivaro splinter f. Gmc
THESAURUS
shiver
ache, aching, agitation, all-overs, atomize, bang, be cold, bit, bob, bobble, boot, bounce, break into pieces, break to pieces, break up, bump, burst, butt, charge, chatter, chilblains, chill, chilliness, chilling, chills of fear, chip, chunk, clip, clipping, cold creeps, cold shivers, cold sweat, collop, crash, creeps, crumb, crunch, crush, cryopathy, cut, cut to pieces, cutting, demolish, didder, diffuse, disintegrate, disperse, disquiet, disquietude, disrupt, dither, dithers, dollop, duck bumps, end, explode, falter, fear and trembling, fidget, fidgetiness, fidgets, fission, flap, flip out, flush, flutter, formication, fragment, freak out on, freeze, freeze to death, frisson, frostbite, get high on, glow, go pitapat, gob, gobbet, goose bumps, goose pimples, gooseflesh, grimace, grind, grow cold, have a chill, have an ague, have goose pimples, have the fidgets, have the shakes, heartquake, heave, heaving, heebie-jeebies, horripilate, horripilation, hunk, hustle, implode, inquietude, jactitate, jar, jerk, jig, jigget, jiggle, jimjams, jitters, jog, joggle, jollies, jolt, jostle, jounce, jump, jumps, kibe, kick, lift, lose heat, luff, lump, make mincemeat of, mince, modicum, moiety, morceau, morsel, nervousness, nip, palpitate, palpitation, pant, panting, paring, particle, pash, patch, perish with cold, perturbation, piece, pitapat, pitter-patter, pulverize, quake, quaking, quaver, quavering, quiver, quiver of terror, quivering, quivers, rasher, rattle, restlessness, rictus, rive, rupture, rush, rush of emotion, scatter, scoop, scrap, sensation, shake, shake all over, shakes, shaking, shard, shatter, shaving, shivering, shivers, shock, shred, shudder, slice, sliver, smash, smash up, smatter, smithereen, snack, snatch, snick, snip, snippet, splinter, squash, squirm, squish, stitch, stump, surge of emotion, sweat, swell, swell with emotion, tag, tatter, the shakes, thrill, thrill of fear, thrill to, throb, throbbing, tic, tingle, tingle with excitement, tingling, titillation, toss, toss and turn, tremble, trembles, trembling, tremor, tremor of excitement, trepidation, trepidity, tumble, turn on to, twist and turn, twitch, twitter, uneasiness, unrest, vibrate, wallop, wiggle, willies, wobble, wriggle, writheROGET THESAURUS
shiver
Smallness
N smallness, littleness, tenuity, paucity, fewness, meanness, insignificance (unimportance), mediocrity, moderation, small quantity, modicum, trace, hint, minimum, vanishing point, material point, atom, particle, molecule, corpuscle, point, speck, dot, mote, jot, iota, ace, minutiae, details, look, thought, idea, soupcon, dab, dight, whit, tittle, shade, shadow, spark, scintilla, gleam, touch, cast, grain, scruple, granule, globule, minim, sup, sip, sop, spice, drop, droplet, sprinkling, dash, morceau, screed, smack, tinge, tincture, inch, patch, scantling, tatter, cantlet, flitter, gobbet, mite, bit, morsel, crumb, seed, fritter, shive, snip, snippet, snick, snack, snatch, slip, scrag, chip, chipping, shiver, sliver, driblet, clipping, paring, shaving, hair, nutshell, thimbleful, spoonful, handful, capful, mouthful, fragment, fraction, drop in the ocean, animalcule, trifle, mere nothing, next to nothing, hardly anything, just enough to swear by, the shadow of a shade, finiteness, finite quantity, small, little, diminutive, minute, fine, inconsiderable, paltry, faint, slender, light, slight, scanty, scant, limited, meager, sparing, few, low, so-so, middling, tolerable, no great shakes, below par, under par, below the mark, at a low ebb, halfway, moderate, modest, tender, subtle, inappreciable, evanescent, infinitesimal, homeopathic, very small, atomic, corpuscular, microscopic, molecular, subatomic, mere, simple, sheer, stark, bare, near run, dull, petty, shallow, stolid, ungifted, unintelligent, to a small extent, on a small scale, a little bit, a wee bit, slightly, imperceptibly, miserably, wretchedly, insufficiently, imperfectly, faintly, passably, pretty well, well enough, partially, in part, in a certain degree, to a certain degree, to a certain extent, comparatively, some, rather in some degree, in some measure, something, somewhat, simply, only, purely, merely, at least, at the least, at most, at the most, ever so little, as little as may be, tant soit peu, in ever so small a degree, thus far, pro tanto, within bounds, in a manner, after a fashion, so to speak, almost, nearly, well-nigh, short of, not quite, all but, near upon, close upon, peu s'en faut, near the mark, within an ace of, within an inch of, on the brink of, scarcely, hardly, barely, only just, no more than, about, thereabouts, somewhere about, nearly, say, be the same, be little more or less, no ways, no way, no wise, not at all, not in the least, not a bit, not a bit of it, not a whit, not a jot, not a shadow, in no wise, in no respect, by no means, by no manner of means, on no account, at no hand, dare pondus idonea fumo, magno conatu magnas nugas, small sands the mountain, moments make the year.Disjunction
VB be disjoined, come off, fall off, come to pieces, fall to pieces, peel off, get loose, disjoin, disconnect, disengage, disunite, dissociate, dispair, divorce, part, dispart, detach, separate, cut off, rescind, segregate, set apart, keep apart, insulate, isolate, throw out of gear, cut adrift, loose, unloose, undo, unbind, unchain, unlock, unpack, unravel, disentangle, set free, sunder, divide, subdivide, sever, dissever, abscind, circumcise, cut, incide, incise, saw, snip, nib, nip, cleave, rive, rend, slit, split, splinter, chip, crack, snap, break, tear, burst, rend, rend asunder, rend in twain, wrench, rupture, shatter, shiver, cranch, crunch, craunch, chop, cut up, rip up, hack, hew, slash, whittle, haggle, hackle, discind, lacerate, scamble, mangle, gash, hash, slice, cut up, carve, dissect, anatomize, dislimb, take to pieces, pull to pieces, pick to pieces, tear to pieces, tear to tatters, tear piecemeal, tear limb from limb, divellicate, skin, disintegrate, dismember, disbranch, disband, disperse, dislocate, disjoint, break up, mince, comminute, apportion, part, part company, separate, leave.Destruction
VB be destroyed, perish, fall to the ground, tumble, topple, go to pieces, fall to pieces, break up, crumble to dust, go to the dogs, go to the wall, go to smash, go to shivers, go to wreck, go to pot, go to wrack and ruin, go by the board, go all to smash, be all over, be all up, be all with, totter to its fall, destroy, do away with, make away with, nullify, annual, sacrifice, demolish, tear up, overturn, overthrow, overwhelm, upset, subvert, put an end to, seal the doom of, do in, do for, dish, undo, break up, cut up, break down, cut down, pull down, mow down, blow down, beat down, suppress, quash, put down, do a job on, cut short, take off, blot out, dispel, dissipate, dissolve, consume, smash, crash, quell, squash, squelch, crumple up, shatter, shiver, batter to pieces, tear to pieces, crush to pieces, cut to pieces, shake to pieces, pull to pieces, pick to pieces, laniate, nip, tear to rags, tear to tatters, crush to atoms, knock to atoms, ruin, strike out, throw over, knock down over, fell, sink, swamp, scuttle, wreck, shipwreck, engulf, ingulf, submerge, lay in ashes, lay in ruins, sweep away, erase, wipe out, expunge, raze, level with the dust, level with the ground, waste, atomize, vaporize, deal destruction, desolate, devastate, lay waste, ravage gut, disorganize, dismantle, devour, swallow up, sap, mine, blast, bomb, blow to smithereens, drop the big one, confound, exterminate, extinguish, quench, annihilate, snuff out, put out, stamp out, trample out, lay in the dust, trample in the dust, prostrate, tread under foot, crush under foot, trample under foot, lay the ax to the root of, make short work of, make clean sweep of, make mincemeat of, cut up root and branch, chop into pieces, cut into ribbons, fling to the winds, scatter to the winds, throw overboard, strike at the root of, sap the foundations of, spring a mine, blow up, ravage with fire and sword, cast to the dogs, eradicate.Fear
VB fear, stand in awe of, be afraid, have qualms, apprehend, sit upon thorns, eye askance, distrust, hesitate, falter, funk, cower, crouch, skulk, let 'I dare not' wait upon 'I would' take fright, take alarm, start, wince, flinch, shy, shrink, fly, tremble, shake, shiver, shiver in one's shoes, shudder, flutter, shake like an aspen leaf, tremble like an aspen leaf, tremble all over, quake, quaver, quiver, quail, grow pale, turn pale, blench, stand aghast, not dare to say one's soul is one's own, inspire fear, excite fear, inspire awe, excite awe, raise apprehensions, be in a daze, bulldoze, faze, feeze, give an alarm, raise an alarm, sound an alarm, alarm, startle, scare, cry 'wolf', disquiet, dismay, fright, frighten, terrify, astound, fright from one's propriety, fright out of one's senses, fright out of one's wits, fright out of one's seven senses, awe, strike all of a heap, strike an awe into, strike terror, harrow up the soul, appall, unman, petrify, horrify, pile on the agony, make one's flesh creep, make one's hair stand on end, make one's blood run cold, make one's teeth chatter, take away one's breath, stop one's breath, make one tremble, haunt, prey on the mind, weigh on the mind, put in fear, put in bodily fear, terrorize, intimidate, cow, daunt, overawe, abash, deter, discourage, browbeat, bully, threaten.Filament
N filament, line, fiber, fibril, funicle, vein, hair, capillament, cilium, cilia, pilus, pili, tendril, gossamer, hair stroke, veinlet, venula, venule, wire, string, thread, packthread, cotton, sewing silk, twine, twist, whipcord, tape, ribbon, cord, rope, yarn, hemp, oakum, jute, strip, shred, slip, spill, list, band, fillet, fascia, ribbon, riband, roll, lath, splinter, shiver, shaving, beard, ramification, strand, filamentous, filamentiferous, filaceous, filiform, fibrous, fibrillous, thread-like, wiry, stringy, ropy, capillary, capilliform, funicular, wire-drawn, anguilliform, flagelliform, hairy, taeniate, taeniform, taenioid, venose, venous.Agitation
VB be agitated, shake, tremble, tremble like an aspen leaf, quiver, quaver, quake, shiver, twitter, twire, writhe, toss, shuffle, tumble, stagger, bob, reel, sway, wag, waggle, wriggle, wriggle like an eel, dance, stumble, shamble, flounder, totter, flounce, flop, curvet, prance, cavort, squirm, throb, pulsate, beat, palpitate, go pitapat, flutter, flitter, flicker, bicker, bustle, ferment, effervesce, foam, boil, boil over, bubble up, simmer, toss about, jump about, jump like a parched pea, shake like an aspen leaf, shake to its center, shake to its foundations, be the sport of the winds and waves, reel to and fro like a drunken man, move from post to pillar and from pillar to post, drive from post to pillar and from pillar to post, keep between hawk and buzzard, agitate, shake, convulse, toss, tumble, bandy, wield, brandish, flap, flourish, whisk, jerk, hitch, jolt, jog, joggle, jostle, buffet, hustle, disturb, stir, shake up, churn, jounce, wallop, whip, vellicate.Brittleness
VB be brittle, live in a glass house, break, crack, snap, split, shiver, splinter, crumble, break short, burst, fly, give way, fall to pieces, crumble to, crumble into dust.Cold
VB be cold, shiver, starve, quake, shake, tremble, shudder, didder, quiver, freeze, freeze to death, perish with cold, freeze, horripilate, make the skin crawl, give one goose flesh.For further exploring for "shiver" in Webster Dictionary Online