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Webster's Dictionary (1865)

4 entries under this word

Shiver

Shĭv'er, n.

noun

n. [N. H. Ger. schiefer, a splinter, slate, M. H. Ger. schivere, O. H. Ger. scivero, Dan. & Sw. skifer, a slate, from Icel. skjfa. Cf. SHIVE.]

  1. A small piece or fragment into which a thing breaks by sudden violence. “Cracked in a hundred shivers.” Milton.
  2. A thin slice; a shive. “A shiver of their own loaf.” Fuller.
  3. (Min.) A variety of blue slate.
  4. (Naut.) A little wheel; a sheave.
  5. A small iron wedge which fastens the bolt of a window-shutter; also a spindle. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]

Shī'v'er, v. t.

verbtransitive

v. t. [imp. & p. p. SHIVERED; p. pr. & vb. n. SHIVERING.] [Ger. schiefern, to shiver, to scale, O. D. scheveren, scheiferen.]

  1. To break into many small pieces or splinters; to shatter; to dash to pieces by a blow. “The ground with shivered armor strown.” Milton.
  2. (Naut.) To cause to shake in the wind; — applied to sails; as, shiver the mizzen-topsail. Totten.

Shīv'er, v. i.

verbintransitive

v. i. [Cf. O. D. schoeveren, N. D. huiveren, L. Ger. schuren, O. Ger. schuren, schiuren, H. Ger. schauern.]

Sense 1. To quake; to tremble; to vibrate; to quiver. “The man that shivered on the brink of sin.” Dryden. “Consonant chords that shiver to one note.” Tennyson.

Sense 2. To quiver from cold; to be affected with a thrilling sensation, like that of chilliness. “On icy Caucasus to shiver.” Swift.

Any very harsh noise will set the teeth on edge, and make all the body shiver. Bacon.

Sense 3. To fall at once into many small pieces or parts.

The natural world, should gravity once cease, would instantly shiver into millions of atoms. Woodward.

Shĭv'er, n.

noun

n. The act of shivering; a shaking or shuddering caused by cold, pain, fear, or the like; a tremor.