Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1400-1500
Origin: quave 'to shake' (13-19 centuries)

quaver

1 verb
     
qua‧ver1 [intransitive and transitive]
if your voice quavers, it shakes as you speak, especially because you are nervous or upset:
'It's not true,' she said, in a quavering voice.
'No,' he quavered.
—quavery adjective
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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