2020-3-23  tremulous definition: The definition of tremulous is quivering, timid or nervous. (adjective) When you give a quivering and uncertain smile because you are nervous, this is an example of a smile that would be described as tremulous. 31+3 sentence examples: 1. I opened the important letter with tremulous fingers. Cooking dash caveman paleo season 3 episode 13. He watched her tremulous hand reach for the teacup. We waited in tremulous anticipation. He was in a state of tremulous excitement. With a brief, tremulous s.

English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Latintremulus, from tremō(“I shake”). Cognate to Ancient Greekτρέμω(trémō).

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /ˈtɹɛmjuləs/

• Audio (US)

• Audio (AU)

Adjective[edit]

tremulous (comparativemore tremulous, superlativemost tremulous)

1. Trembling, quivering, or shaking.
   • 1850, Nathaniel Hawthorne, chapter 3, in The Scarlet Letter:

     The trying nature of his position drove the blood from his cheek, and made his lips tremulous.

   • 1919, William MacLeod Raine, chapter 27, in A Man Four-Square:

     'Thank God!' he cried brokenly, all the pent emotion of the long night vibrant in his tremulous voice.

   • 1956, Delano Ames, chapter 12, in Crime out of Mind‎^[1]:

     Light filtered in through the blinds of the french windows. It made tremulous stripes along the scrubbed pine floor.

2. Timid, hesitant; lacking confidence.
   • 1891, Grant Allen, chapter 15, in The Great Taboo:

     'You have lived here long?' Felix asked, with tremulous interest, as he took a seat.

   • 2009 Oct. 7, Christopher Kimball, 'Opinion: Gourmet to All That,' New York Times(retrieved 18 Aug 2012):

     This, hard on the heels of the death of Julia Child in 2004, makes one tremulous about the future.

Synonyms[edit]

• (trembling, quivering, or shaking):quaking, shaking, trembling, tremulant
• (timid, hesitant, or unconfident):timid, wavering

Related terms[edit]

Translations[edit]