Read along with the three podcasts, or open the full dictionary entry for Shiver for the definition, Arabic meaning, synonyms and example sentences.
Narrator: Today's word is "Shiver" — verb, pronounced /ˈʃɪvə(r)/, with the stress on "shiv".
Narrator: To shiver is to shake slightly because you are cold, frightened or excited.
Narrator: In plain English, it means shake with cold.
Narrator: It probably comes from Middle English chiveren.
Narrator: A common collocation is "shiver with cold", which describes shaking in low temperatures.
Narrator: It differs from "tremble", because shiver is usually from cold, while tremble is often from fear.
Narrator: In a second sense, "send shivers down your spine" means give you a thrill or fear.
Narrator: Health, weather, fiction and music all rely on the word.
Narrator: So remember: shivering is your body warming up.
Speaker A: Why are you shaking?
Speaker B: I'm SHIVERING, it's freezing! From Middle English chiveren.
Speaker A: Need a jumper?
Speaker B: And a hot drink.
Speaker A: Example sentences?
Speaker B: "The swimmers shivered on the beach", winter. "That song sends shivers down my spine", music. "Shivering helps your body make heat", biology.
Speaker A: Common mistakes?
Speaker B: Spell it with one "v", "shiver".
Speaker A: Close relatives?
Speaker B: Tremble is its cousin, shudder its twin, and quiver an alternative — yet shiver keeps its chilly charm!
Speaker B: Let's use "shiver" in AI prompts — useful for health advice and storytelling.
Speaker A: How for health?
Speaker B: Warning signs.
Prompt: Explain when shivering could be a sign of hypothermia and what to do.
Speaker A: And stories?
Speaker B: Suspense.
Prompt: Write a sentence that sends a shiver down the reader’s spine.
Speaker A: Could it help weather apps?
Speaker B: Yes, for advice.
Prompt: Suggest clothing layers when temperatures will make people shiver.
Speaker A: One more?
Speaker B: Biology.
Prompt: Explain why the body shivers when cold for children.
Shiver — meaning in Arabic & definition More S courses GL Dictionary