quaked

Meanings

1. 1verbintransitive

   Shook or trembled strongly, especially because of fear, cold, or a loud noise.

   Grammar: No object; often followed by 'with' plus an emotion: quaked with fear.

   Patterns

   • quake with fear
   • quake with anger
   • quake at the thought of something

   She quaked with fear as the thunder rolled overhead.

   His voice quaked slightly when he answered the question.

   The little dog quaked at the sound of the fireworks.

2. 2verbintransitive

   Shook or vibrated violently, used about the ground or a building during an earthquake.

   Grammar: No object; usually describes the ground or a structure.

   Patterns

   • the ground quaked
   • the building quaked

   The ground quaked for several seconds during the tremor.

   The old walls quaked but did not fall.

Common combinations

quaked with fear

He quaked with fear when he heard the strange noise.

quaked in terror

The villagers quaked in terror as the storm approached.

quaked at the thought

She quaked at the thought of speaking in public.

Synonyms and how they differ

trembled

Trembled is more general and can be caused by cold, weakness, or emotion; quaked suggests stronger, more violent shaking.

shook

Shook is the everyday word for a quick, often brief movement; quaked suggests a longer, more intense trembling.

shivered

Shivered usually means shook slightly because of cold or fear; quaked is stronger and more dramatic.

Word family

quake verb

Base form: to shake or tremble.

quake noun

A shaking or trembling, often of the earth.

quaky adjective

Tending to shake or tremble; unsteady.

Practice

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Write a sentence using “quaked”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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