Middle English Dictionary Entry
quāven v.
Entry Info
| Forms | quāven v. Also (early) cwavien. |
| Etymology | ?OE *cwafian; ?imitative. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
To tremble, shake, palpitate; also, be afraid; ppl. quavinge as adj.: flabby; quavinge flodes, surging waters, overwhelming floods.
Associated quotations
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)44/13 : Nefde bute iseid swa, þet al þe eorðe ne bigon to cwakien & to cwauien.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)1 Kings 28.5 : Saul sawȝ þe tentis of philsteis & dradde, & his herte quauyde [vr. quakide; WB(2): dredde; L expavit] ful myche.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.37 : At Schaftesbury..his longes ȝit quaveþ [L palpitat] al fresche and sound.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)44b/a : Ȝif he [cheeks] be of white colour..& in sustaunce fat & neissche & quauynge [L fluide], he tokeneþ exces & superfluyte of colde & moisture.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)18.61 : Þe daye for drede with-drowe, and derke bicam þe sonne; Þe wal wagged and clef, and al þe worlde quaued [vr. quaked].
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)324 : I schal waken up a water to wasch alle þe worlde, And quelle alle þat is quik wyth quavende flodez.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)419 : Qvavyn, as myre: Tremo.
- a1450 I wole be mendid (Dgb 102)88 : Quaue not, ne drede not, to sen hit so.