quake

1 of 2

verb

quaked; quaking

intransitive verb

1
: to shake or vibrate usually from shock or instability
2
: to tremble or shudder usually from cold or fear

quake

2 of 2

noun

: an instance of shaking or trembling (as of the earth or moon)
especially : earthquake

Examples of quake in a Sentence

Verb She was quaking with rage. The explosion made the whole house quake. Noun the quake registered 6.5 on the Richter scale, causing widespread damage
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
In 2020, after an 800-year interregnum, parts of the land started shaking, quaking and inflating, signifying the incursion of magma from deep below. Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 13 Feb. 2024 Justin Simien made sure every crypt door creaked and every tombstone quaked in Haunted Mansion, his spirited movie adaptation of the beloved Disney parks attractions operating at several resorts around the world. Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 28 July 2023 Now, the talent drops off behind starters at wide receiver, tight end, and all five spots on the line, but enough reserves have seen action that the 49ers shouldn’t quake in their cleats. Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 25 Jan. 2024 To study quaking giants, scientists use data from NASA’s planet-hunting Kepler telescope, which monitored the brightness of over 180,000 stars for years. WIRED, 26 Nov. 2023 Presently, based on the proximity of the magma to the surface and the constant seismic rumbling, Iceland’s Meteorological Office suspects that there is a very high likelihood of an eruption, somewhere along that 10-mile-long line of deformed and quaking ground, in the coming days. WIRED, 16 Nov. 2023 French Canadian woodsmen in the 1600s believed that the trees quaked in fear because the cross on which Jesus was crucified was made of aspen. Michael C Grant, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019 From the earth, quaking scares [00:19:19] Laura: me. Laura Johnston, cleveland, 29 Aug. 2023 After each Band Blast class, my body was always left quaking. Andi Breitowich, Women's Health, 8 June 2023
Noun
The quake hit at 6:21 p.m. one-tenth of a mile east-southeast of Discovery Bay and at a depth of 6.8 miles, the USGS reported. Jason Green, The Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2024 The nearly 6-mile-deep quake hit about 4 miles east of Fremont at 9:35 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 22, according to USGS. Daniella Segura, Sacramento Bee, 22 Feb. 2024 The bridge is at risk of collapse in a major quake, which could kill many people and sever a crucial transportation link in such an emergency. Claire Rush and Jennifer Kane, Quartz, 13 Feb. 2024 The latest model indicates that nearly 75% of the continental United States, as well as Alaska and Hawaii, could experience a damaging quake sometime within the next century. Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 18 Jan. 2024 The largest measured was an about 3.5 magnitude quake just after 4 a.m., the Met said. Kevin Shalvey, ABC News, 14 Jan. 2024 The woman in Suzu city, Ishikawa Prefecture, had survived for more than five days after the 7.6 magnitude quake that hit the area Monday. Yuri Kageyama, Twin Cities, 6 Jan. 2024 Hatay, which lies between the Mediterranean Sea and the Syrian border, was the worst affected of the 11 southern provinces hit by the 7.8 magnitude quake. TIME, 6 Feb. 2024 Living in ‘container cities’ The initial earthquake on February 6 was 7.8 in magnitude; a second, 7.5 magnitude quake came hours later. Scott McLean, CNN, 6 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'quake.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Old English cwacian

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of quake was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near quake

Cite this Entry

“Quake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quake. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

quake

1 of 2 verb
quaked; quaking
1
: to shake or vibrate usually from shock or lack of stability
2
: to tremble or shudder usually from cold or fear

quake

2 of 2 noun
: a shaking or trembling
especially : earthquake

More from Merriam-Webster on quake

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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