English Explanatory Dictionary

quake

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A trembling or shaking.
  2. An earthquake, a trembling of the ground with force.
  3. Something devastating, like a strong earthquake.
verb
  1. To tremble or shake.
  2. To be in a state of fear, shock, amazement, etc., such as might cause one to tremble.
name
  1. The 99th sura (chapter) of the Qur'an.

Pronunciation

/kweɪk/ en-us-quake.ogg

Word forms

quake quakes quaking quaked quoke quook

Etymology

From Middle English quaken, from Old English cwacian (“to quake, tremble, chatter”), from Proto-Germanic *kwakōną (“to shake, quiver, tremble”), itself likely of imitative origin. Related to Old English cweċċan (“to shake, swing, move, vibrate, shake off, give up”) (see quitch), Dutch kwakkelen (“to ail, be ailing”), German Quackelei (“chattering”), Danish kvakle (“to bungle”), Latin vexō (“toss, shake violently, jostle, vex”), Irish bogadh (“a move, movement, shift, change”).

Derived words

afterquake antiquake aquake cowquake crustquake fleshquake genderquake heartquake icequake megaquake mercuryquake microquake mindquake miniquake mirthquake quake grass quake lake quakeproof quakesome quaketail quakey quaky seaquake skyquake spacequake sunquake superquake Swift Quake timequake toquake Trumpquake venusquake viewquake waterquake worldquake youthquake quakebreech quakebuttock quake in one's boots quake in one's shoes Quaker quaking asp quaking grass quaking pudding
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