shuddered

Shuddered is the past tense and past participle of the verb shudder. Shudder means to tremble or shake convulsively, typically in response to cold, fear, disgust, or a strong emotion. It can describe a physical tremor, an involuntary spasm of the body, or a reaction of revulsion, and it may be used metaphorically to convey a powerful emotional response.

Usage of the word is generally intransitive, with the subject performing the tremor. It is commonly followed by prepositional phrases such as “shuddered with fear,” “shuddered at the thought,” or “shuddered in horror.” It can also describe an object or structure that experiences a tremor, as in “the bridge shuddered during the earthquake.”

In literature and journalism, shuddered is employed to convey a vivid, immediate reaction without stating a more explicit emotion. Alternatives such as trembled, shook, quivered, or shivered may be chosen depending on the nuance desired.

Etymology and related forms are not always certain; the word appears in Middle English and has Germanic cognates in various languages. The noun form shudder denotes the act itself or a brief tremor, and is used to refer to the motion or the emotional reaction described by the verb.

See also: tremble, shiver, quiver, shake, shudder (noun).