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quaver

noun
/ˈkweɪvə(ɹ)/

Etymology

From Middle English quaveren, frequentative form of quaven, cwavien (“to tremble”), equivalent to quave + -er. Cognate with Low German quabbeln (“to quiver”), German quabbeln, quappeln (“to quiver”). More at quave, quab, quiver.

  1. inherited from quaveren

Definitions

  1. A trembling shake.

  2. A trembling of the voice, as in speaking or singing.

  3. an eighth note, drawn as a crotchet (quarter note) with a tail.

    • The crotchets and quavers are dancing up and down the stave like little black boys on a fence.
  4. ›+ 3 more definitions

    1. To shake in a trembling manner.

    2. To use the voice in a trembling manner, as in speaking or singing.

      • "Aw come on, guys!" The woman, clearly overwhelmed by the force of the two friends' personalities, quavered on the point of tears.

    3. To utter quaveringly.

      • We shall hear her quavering them […] to some sprightly airs of the opera.

The neighborhood

Derived

demiquaver, demisemiquaver, hemidemisemiquaver, quaver rest, semiquaver, quaverer, quaveringly, quaverous, quavery, unquavering

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for quaver. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA