Lexic.us

Definition of Shiver

1. Verb. Tremble convulsively, as from fear or excitement.

2. Noun. A reflex motion caused by cold or fear or excitement.

3. Verb. Shake, as from cold. "The children are shivering--turn on the heat!"

4. Noun. An almost pleasurable sensation of fright. "A frisson of surprise shot through him"

Definition of Shiver

1. n. One of the small pieces, or splinters, into which a brittle thing is broken by sudden violence; -- generally used in the plural.

2. v. t. To break into many small pieces, or splinters; to shatter; to dash to pieces by a blow; as, to shiver a glass goblet.

3. v. i. To separate suddenly into many small pieces or parts; to be shattered.

4. v. i. To tremble; to vibrate; to quiver; to shake, as from cold or fear.

5. v. t. To cause to shake or tremble, as a sail, by steering close to the wind.

6. n. The act of shivering or trembling.

Definition of Shiver

1. Noun. A fragment or splinter, especially of glass or stone. ¹

2. Verb. To break into splinters or fragments. ¹

3. Verb. To tremble or shake, especially when cold or frightened. ¹

4. Noun. The act or result of shivering. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Shiver

1. to tremble with fear or cold [v -ED, -ING, -S]

Medical Definition of Shiver

1. To separate suddenly into many small pieces or parts; to be shattered. "There shiver shafts upon shields thick." (Chaucer) "The natural world, should gravity once cease, . . . Would instantly shiver into millions of atoms." (Woodward) 1. One of the small pieces, or splinters, into which a brittle thing is broken by sudden violence; generally used in the plural. "All to shivers dashed." 2. A thin slice; a shive. "A shiver of their own loaf." "Of your soft bread, not but a shiver." (Chaucer) 3. A variety of blue slate. 4. A sheave or small wheel in a pulley. 5. A small wedge, as for fastening the bolt of a window shutter. 6. A spindle. Origin: OE. Schivere, fr. Shive; cf. G. Schifer a splinter, slate, OHG. Scivere a splinter, Dan. & Sw. Skifer a slate. See Shive, and cf. Skever. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Shiver

shiur shiurim shiv shiv'ah shivah shivahs shivaree shivareed shivareeing shivarees

shivas shive shiver (current term) shiver-spar shiver my timbers shivered shiverer shiverers shiverier shiveriest

shivering shiveringly shiverings shivers shivery shives shiviti

Literary usage of Shiver

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. An Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language ...: To which is by John Jamieson (1880)
"This feeling is frequently caused by a grating sound, as by that of sharpening a saw. Belg. grill-en, to shiver; ... to shiver. to tremble from cold. ..."

2. A Dictionary of English Etymology by Hensleigh Wedgwood (1865)
"The original meaning of the word is probably a splinter or fragment, from a form like Prov. E. shinder, to shiver to pieces. Adelung mentions an obsolete ..."

3. Journal of the American Chemical Society by American Chemical Society (1895)
"... and the cyanide method gives results which are practically correct. ON THE STANDARDIZATION OF SULPHURIC ACID. BY FS shiver. Received February 16, 1895. ..."

4. Among the Isles of Shoals by Celia Thaxter (1873)
"At once out of the darkness came a slow, tremendous sigh that made us shiver in the soft air, as if all the woe and terror of the sea were condensed in that ..."

5. Among the Isles of Shoals by Celia Thaxter (1901)
"At once out of the darkness came a slow, tremendous sigh that made us shiver in the soft air, as if all the woe and terror of the sea were condensed in that ..."

6. Among the Isles of Shoals by Celia Thaxter (1873)
"At once out of the darkness came a slow, tremendous sigh that made us shiver in the soft air, as if all the woe and terror of the sea were condensed in that ..."

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