tremble
gb/tɹˈɛmbəl/ us/tɹˈɛmbəl/
B1
English
~ 1800
Senses
0 senses
Verb
B1
action
1
Shake slightly from fear or cold
To shake a little because you are cold, scared, weak, or excited.
Usage pattern:
[someone] trembles [with emotion/from cold]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'tremble' with 'tumble'; 'tremble' means to shake, not to fall over.
Synonyms
shake (More general term for moving back and forth; 'tremble' is usually smaller and more rapid movements.)
|
quiver (Often suggests a lighter or more delicate shaking.)
Antonyms
steady (Means not shaking or moving; the opposite of trembling.)
Collocations
tremble with fear
|tremble with excitement
|tremble from cold
|hands tremble
|voice trembles
Themes
emotions
|daily life
|health
|body
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She began to tremble with fear when she heard the strange noise.
- His hands trembled as he signed the letter.
- The little boy trembled from the cold wind.
- I could see her shoulders tremble when she laughed.
- He trembled with excitement before opening the gift.
Learner examples
- I tremble when I am very cold.
- The dog trembles when it hears loud noises.
- Her hands tremble when she is nervous.
- He trembles before giving a speech.
Noun
B2
event
2
A small shaking movement
A small shake in the body or voice because of cold, fear, or emotion.
Usage pattern:
a tremble in [someone's voice/hands]
Synonyms
shiver (Often refers to a bodily reaction to cold; 'tremble' can be due to emotion as well.)
|
quiver (A light trembling movement, often in a part of the body.)
Antonyms
steadiness (The quality of not shaking.)
Collocations
a slight tremble
|a nervous tremble
|a visible tremble
|a tremble in her voice
Themes
emotions
|health
|body
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- There was a tremble in his voice as he spoke.
- She felt a tremble run through her hands.
- A slight tremble betrayed his nervousness.
- I heard the tremble in her words.
Learner examples
- I hear a tremble in his voice.
- Her hands have a small tremble.
- There is a tremble when she talks.
Grammar
Dictionary form
tremble
IPA
GB/tɹˈɛmbəl/
US/tɹˈɛmbəl/
Syllables & stress
tremble (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (tremble)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: tremble
- Plural: trembles
Verb
- Base: tremble
- 3rd Person Singular: trembles
- Present Participle: trembling
- Past: trembled
Word family
Expressions
tremble from cold
1/tɹˈɛmbəl fɹˈʌm kˈoʊld/
fixed phrase
Shake slightly because of cold
To shake a little because you feel cold.
Examples
- She trembled from cold while waiting for the bus.
- He was trembling from cold after falling into the river.
tremble with excitement
1/tɹˈɛmbəl wˈɪθ ɪksˈaɪtmənt/
fixed phrase
Shake slightly because of excitement
To shake a little because you are very happy or eager about something.
Examples
- He trembled with excitement before opening his birthday present.
- The fans trembled with excitement as the band walked on stage.
tremble with fear
1/tɹˈɛmbəl wˈɪθ fˈɪɹ/
fixed phrase
Shake slightly because of fear
To shake a little because you are afraid.
Examples
- The child trembled with fear when he saw the snake.
- She was trembling with fear during the storm.