Library / English Dictionary

QUAVER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A musical note having the time value of an eighth of a whole note

Synonyms:

eighth note; quaver

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("quaver" is a kind of...):

musical note; note; tone (a notation representing the pitch and duration of a musical sound)

Derivation:

quaver (sing or play with trills, alternating with the half note above or below)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A tremulous sound

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Hypernyms ("quaver" is a kind of...):

sound (the sudden occurrence of an audible event)

Derivation:

quaver (give off unsteady sounds, alternating in amplitude or frequency)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Sing or play with trills, alternating with the half note above or below

Synonyms:

quaver; trill; warble

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "quaver" is one way to...):

sing (produce tones with the voice)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

quaver (a musical note having the time value of an eighth of a whole note)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Give off unsteady sounds, alternating in amplitude or frequency

Synonyms:

quaver; waver

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "quaver" is one way to...):

sound; vocalise; vocalize; voice (utter with vibrating vocal chords)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

quaver (a tremulous sound)

Credits

 Context examples: 

Through the silence of the great forest there came a swishing, whistling sound, mingled with the most dolorous groans, and the voice of a man raised in a high quavering kind of song.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"They may return with much meat," he quavered hopefully.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

Amy chirped like a cricket, and Jo wandered through the airs at her own sweet will, always coming out at the wrong place with a croak or a quaver that spoiled the most pensive tune.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

“Is—he?” she quavered.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

“Three, most holy father,” the brother answered in a low and quavering voice.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Whenever there was a pause in the song she filled it with gasping broken sobs and then took up the lyric again in a quavering soprano.

(The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald)