Shiver
AI In plain words
Writing a short explanation…
Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.
shiver¹
- /ˈʃɪvɚ/ US
- /ˈʃɪvə/ UK
Sounds like shiva (non-rhotic) · Rhymes with -ɪvə(ɹ)
Where it comes from
Origin uncertain, perhaps an alteration of chavel, or a frequentive of sheaf.
verb shivers · shivering · shivered
- To tremble or shake, especially when cold or frightened. They stood outside for hours, shivering in the frosty air.
- To cause to shake or tremble, as a sail, by steering close to the wind.
noun shivers
- The act of shivering. A shiver went up my spine.
- A bodily response to early hypothermia.
shiver²
- /ˈʃɪvɚ/ US
- /ˈʃɪvə/ UK
Sounds like shiva (non-rhotic) · Rhymes with -ɪvə(ɹ)
Where it comes from
From a Germanic word, probably present in Old English though unattested, cognate with Old High German scivaro (German Schiefer (“slate”)).
noun shivers
- A fragment or splinter, especially of glass or stone.
- A splinter of wood embedded in the flesh
- A thin slice; a shive. a shiver of their own loaf
- A variety of blue slate.
- A sheave or small wheel in a pulley.
- A small wedge, as for fastening the bolt of a window shutter.
- A spindle.
verb shivers · shivering · shivered
- To break into splinters or fragments. The man, O Muse, inform, that many a way / Wound with his wisdom to his wished stay; / That wandered wondrous far, when he the town / Of sacred Troy had sack'd and shivered down; […]
- To be broken into splinters or fragments. The dirty clay pipe dropped from the tremulous hand, and shivered against the iron fender, but the old man made no effort to find a fresh one; […]
shiver³
- /ˈʃɪvɚ/ US
- /ˈʃɪvə/ UK
Sounds like shiva (non-rhotic) · Rhymes with -ɪvə(ɹ)
Where it comes from
Origin uncertain
noun shivers
- A group of sharks. 'Don't you remember?" she said. 'One was off the bow, another alongside, yet another off the stern. A shiver of sharks.'
Shiver⁴
proper noun Shivers
- A surname.