Quaking

Quaking describes a state of trembling, shaking, or vibrating, typically due to fear, cold, weakness, or strong emotion. It conveys a visible physical response, often involuntary, that can range from slight tremors to violent shaking. The term suggests instability and a lack of control. The intensity of quaking can vary, expressing vulnerability and a disruption of composure. It is frequently used in descriptive writing to portray a character's internal state or the impact of an external force. The imagery associated with quaking evokes a sense of unease and heightened sensitivity.

Quaking meaning with examples

• As the earthquake rumbled closer, the small house began to quake violently. Dishes crashed from shelves, and the family, gripped by terror, could only watch the structure’s agonizing struggle. It was a display of raw power. Their hearts, mirroring the ground, threatened to quake right out of their chests with sheer fear, not knowing what to do.
• The freezing wind caused the hiker's body to quake with the merciless cold. He pulled his thin coat tighter, but his teeth chattered uncontrollably, each shiver a testament to the extreme temperatures. The surrounding peaks, cloaked in snow, seemed to mock his vulnerability. He sought shelter.
• Overcome with stage fright, the young musician's hands began to quake before he could even touch his instrument. He tried to steady his breath, but the spotlight felt like an unforgiving glare. Every second felt like an eternity, the audience a blur. His quaking body was a map of raw emotion.
• When the news came of her father's illness, her voice quaked as she spoke on the phone. Her emotions were completely exposed. The details revealed by the doctor confirmed the heartbreaking truth, causing her to collapse onto the sofa. Grief was a tangible, destabilizing force, turning her core to liquid.
• The veteran soldier's hands would quake at the sound of gunfire long after the war was over. The memories of battle haunted him; a single, piercing whistle of a bullet triggered a resurgence of trauma. Though years had passed, the physical remnants of fear remained, illustrating the war’s long shadow.