zittern
Translation
to tremble, to shiver, to quiver, to quake
Examples
Er zitterte vor Kälte.
He was shivering with cold.
Ihre Hände zitterten vor Angst.
Her hands were trembling with fear.
Die Erde zitterte leicht.
The earth quaked slightly.
Grammar Patterns
((with sth.)) to tremble with sth. He was trembling with fear.
((for sb./sth.)) to tremble for sb./sth. She trembled for her child's safety.
Similar Words
beben (to quake), schaudern (to shudder)
Etymology
Believed to be of onomatopoeic origin, imitating the sound or feeling of trembling.
Memory Tips
Imagine the 'zzz' sound of a vibrating phone, which makes it 'zitter'.