tremble
tremble — verb
1. When your body moves in small, quick shakes that you cannot stop on purpose, oft
When your body moves in small, quick shakes that you cannot stop on purpose, often because of a strong feeling such as fear or excitement, or when you are cold or ill.
Ayesha's hands trembled as she opened the letter from the university.
tremble + with emotion (fear, excitement)
The old man's voice trembled when he spoke about the war.
Rodrigo was trembling with cold after waiting in the snow for an hour.
Ziad's legs trembled so badly that he had to sit down on the floor.
The little puppy was trembling when Yumi picked it up from the street.
文法句型
tremble + with/in/from + (emotion or cold)
tremble + so...that...
用法筆記
Often used with words such as 'with', 'from', or 'in' to tell the cause: tremble with fear, tremble from the cold, tremble in anger.
常見錯誤
2. If the ground, a building, or an object trembles, it moves back and forth in sma
If the ground, a building, or an object trembles, it moves back and forth in small, quick shakes, often because of a loud noise, an explosion, or something heavy moving nearby.
The ground trembled as the train passed through the old station.
subject: ground / building
The whole building trembled when the front door was slammed shut.
The windows trembled in their wooden frames during the heavy storm.
The bridge trembled as a line of heavy trucks drove across it.
The table trembled when Obi dropped his heavy bag onto it.
文法句型
tremble + as/when + (event)
tremble + in + (location)
用法筆記
Subject is always the ground, a structure, or an object — never a person. The cause is typically physical: an explosion, a vehicle, or a loud impact.
常見錯誤
3. To feel very worried or afraid about something that might happen, without actual
To feel very worried or afraid about something that might happen, without actually shaking physically.
Ezra trembled at the thought of telling his parents about the accident.
tremble at the thought of [something]
The coach trembled to think how close the team had come to losing.
tremble + to + infinitive
Sari trembled at the idea of speaking in front of three hundred people.
Justin trembled with anxiety as he waited for the test results.
文法句型
tremble + at + noun phrase
tremble + to + infinitive
tremble + with + anxiety/worry
用法筆記
This sense describes emotional fear or worry, not physical shaking. It frequently appears in fixed patterns: tremble at the thought/idea of..., or tremble to think...
tremble — noun
1. A small, quick shaking movement of your body that you cannot stop, especially be
A small, quick shaking movement of your body that you cannot stop, especially because of a strong feeling, cold, or illness.
There was a slight tremble in Ingrid's voice as she thanked the crowd.
a tremble in [one's] voice
Nala felt a tremble run through her whole body when she heard the news.
feel a tremble run through [body]
The patient had a constant tremble in his hands because of the illness.
A small tremble appeared at the corner of his mouth as he fought back tears.
文法句型
a tremble + in + (voice / body part)
feel a tremble + in/through + (body)
用法筆記
Often used with adjectives like 'slight', 'little', 'constant', or 'nervous'. The pattern 'there was a tremble in [body part / voice]' is very common.
2. A short, slight wobble or shake of the ground, a floor, or a physical object, of
A short, slight wobble or shake of the ground, a floor, or a physical object, often set off by a nearby vehicle, a loud bang, or something striking it.
Vivek felt a tremble in the floor when the subway passed underneath.
a tremble in the floor / ground
The tremble of the windows during the storm frightened the small children.
the tremble of [object]
Mira noticed a tremble in the bookshelf whenever the washing machine ran.
A sudden tremble ran through the ground just before the explosion.
文法句型
a tremble + in/of + (ground / object)
用法筆記
This sense refers to the physical movement of inanimate objects. It is less common than the body-related noun sense and is typically used in descriptions of minor seismic or structural movement.