quake
quake — verb
1. to shake or shudder physically because you are extremely frightened, nervous, or
to shake or shudder physically because you are extremely frightened, nervous, or greatly amused
The puppy quaked in the corner during the loud thunderstorm.
quake + in a place from fear
Isabela's voice quaked as she told the class about the accident.
body part + quake as a sign of emotion
Allison quaked with laughter at the comedian's silly puppet show.
The old dog quaked with fear during the New Year fireworks display.
- stand firm
to remain steady and unafraid
文法句型
quake + with [emotion]
quake + at [stimulus]
用法筆記
Frequently combines with 'with' to state the emotion (fear, fright, laughter). 'Voice' and 'legs' are common subjects when describing a person's physical reaction.
常見錯誤
2. to feel very frightened or worried about something that has happened or might ha
to feel very frightened or worried about something that has happened or might happen
Theo quaked at the thought of telling his parents about the broken window.
quake at the thought of [situation]
Saira quaked for her brother's safety during the severe snowstorm.
quake for + someone's safety
The students quaked when the head teacher announced a surprise inspection.
Ilan quaked before the final interview and almost did not go inside.
- dread
stronger and more formal; implies an ongoing fear of a future event
- be terrified
more direct and common in everyday speech
- fear
a neutral, all-purpose verb for being afraid
- feel at ease
to feel relaxed and unworried
文法句型
quake + at [thought/sight/idea]
quake + for [someone's safety]
用法筆記
Often followed by 'at' (the cause of fear) or 'for' (the person feared for). Unlike sense 1, this sense focuses on the emotional state itself, not necessarily on visible physical shaking.
常見錯誤
3. to experience violent shaking, as when the ground shifts during an earthquake or
to experience violent shaking, as when the ground shifts during an earthquake or a building is struck by a large blast
The ground quaked when the demolition team set off the explosives.
ground quakes from explosions
The windows quaked and the dishes rattled as a freight train rumbled past.
Andrei felt the entire building quake during the magnitude six earthquake.
The walls of the old house quaked every time a heavy lorry drove by.
- be still
to remain motionless
文法句型
quake + from [force]
quake + with [intensity]
用法筆記
Implies a stronger, more alarming movement than 'shake' or 'vibrate.' Common with subjects like 'ground,' 'building,' 'walls,' and 'windows.' The cause is typically external and forceful — an explosion, earthquake, or heavy traffic.
quake — noun
1. an informal word for an earthquake — a sudden, violent shaking of the ground tha
an informal word for an earthquake — a sudden, violent shaking of the ground that can cause damage and destruction
A small quake hit the central region this morning, but no one was hurt.
a [size] quake hits [place]
Daichi's family lost their home in the big quake that struck the coast.
Scientists warned that a stronger quake could affect the area in the coming days.
Tanvi grabbed her emergency kit and ran outside when the quake started.
The quake damaged roads and cut off power to several mountain villages.
- earthquake
standard, formal term; appropriate for all registers
- tremor
a small, mild earthquake; less damaging
- temblor
formal AmE term used in scientific writing; less common
文法句型
a [adjective] quake
quake + hit/struck [place]
用法筆記
Used in everyday conversation and news headlines as a shorter, less formal alternative to 'earthquake.' 'Earthquake' is preferred in formal writing and scientific contexts.