Shiver — Defs

01 n. One of the small pieces, or splinters, into which a brittle thing is broken by sudden violence; -- generally used in the plural.

1.
One of the small pieces, or splinters, into which a brittle thing is broken by sudden violence; -- generally used in the plural.
2.
A thin slice; a shive.[Obs. or Prov. Eng.]
“Of your soft bread, not but a shiver.” — Chaucer.
3.
A variety of blue slate.(Geol.)
4.
A sheave or small wheel in a pulley.(Naut.)
5.
A small wedge, as for fastening the bolt of a window shutter.
6.
A spindle.[Obs. or Prov. Eng.]

02 v. t. To break into many small pieces, or splinters; to shatter; to dash to pieces by a blow; as, to shiver a glass goblet.

imp. & p. p. Shivered; p. pr. & vb. n. Shivering

1.
To break into many small pieces, or splinters; to shatter; to dash to pieces by a blow; as, to shiver a glass goblet.
“All the ground With shivered armor strown.” — Milton.

03 v. i. To separate suddenly into many small pieces or parts; to be shattered.

1.
To separate suddenly into many small pieces or parts; to be shattered.
“There shiver shafts upon shields thick.” — Chaucer.

“The natural world, should gravity once cease, . . . would instantly shiver into millions of atoms.” — Woodward.

04 v. i. To tremble; to vibrate; to quiver; to shake, as from cold or fear.

1.
To tremble; to vibrate; to quiver; to shake, as from cold or fear.
“Prometheus is laid On icy Caucasus to shiver.” — Swift.

“The man that shivered on the brink of sin, Thus steeled and hardened, ventures boldly in.” — Creech.

05 v. t. To cause to shake or tremble, as a sail, by steering close to the wind.

1.
To cause to shake or tremble, as a sail, by steering close to the wind.(Naut.)

06 n. The act of shivering or trembling.