quaver

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.

• IPA^(key): /ˈkweɪvə(ɹ)/

  • Audio (Southern England):

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• Rhymes: -eɪvə(ɹ)

quaver (plural quavers)

1. A trembling shake.
2. A trembling of the voice, as in speaking or singing.
3. (music) an eighth note, drawn as a crotchet (quarter note) with a tail.
   • 1920 August 27, Katherine Mansfield [pseudonym; Kathleen Mansfield Murry], “The Wind Blows”, in Bliss and Other Stories, London: Constable & Company, published 1920, →OCLC, pages 140–141:

     The crotchets and quavers are dancing up and down the stave like little black boys on a fence.

• breve
• crotchet
• longa
• minim
• semibreve

quaver (third-person singular simple present quavers, present participle quavering, simple past and past participle quavered)

1. To shake in a trembling manner.
2. (intransitive) To use the voice in a trembling manner, as in speaking or singing.
   • 1982 December 11, Andrea Loewenstein, “The Joys of Community or Holiday-itis Strikes Back”, in Gay Community News, volume 10, number 21, page 12:

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

3. (transitive) To utter quaveringly.

   Synonym: wobble

   • 1711 November 5 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison; Richard Steele et al.], “THURSDAY, October 25, 1711”, in The Spectator, number 205; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume III, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC:

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

     The spelling has been modernized.

quaver

1. alternative form of quaveren