Tremble with fear.
Tremble with fear, as in The very thought of a hurricane blowing in makes me quake in my boots. Both quake and shake here mean “tremble.” These idioms were preceded by the alliterative phrase shake in one’s shoes in the late 1800s.
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Is shaking in my boots an idiom?
The idea behind this idiom is that a person is so scared that he or she shaking. Trembling is a common response to fear. This idiom, along with to shake in one’s shoes and to quake in one’s boots, comes from the 1800s.
What is the meaning of the idiom shake in one’s shoes ‘?
be very terrified or anxious
The phrase to be shaking in your shoes is an idiomatic expression which mean to be very terrified or anxious.
What does the word quake mean?
to shake or vibrate
1 : to shake or vibrate usually from shock or instability. 2 : to tremble or shudder usually from cold or fear. quake. noun.
Is it shaking or quaking in their boots?
(informal, idiomatic) To be very frightened, scared, or nervous. The thought of climbing that high had him quaking in his boots.
What is the meaning of idiom to smell a rat?
Suspect something is wrong
smell a rat. Suspect something is wrong, especially a betrayal of some kind. For example, When I didn’t hear any more from my prospective employer, I began to smell a rat. This expression alludes to a cat sniffing out a rat. [
What is the meaning of the idiom a close shave?
a narrow escape from serious danger
Definition of close shave
noun Informal. a narrow escape from serious danger or trouble: We weren’t hit when the truck swerved at us, but it was a close shave.
What is the meaning of the idiom in high spirits?
very happy and excited
Definition of in high spirits
: very happy and excited All the children were in high spirits on the last day of school.
What does to cut someone dead mean?
to pretend not to see
Definition of cut (someone) dead
: to pretend not to see (someone one knows) : to deliberately ignore (someone) When I saw her on the street yesterday, she cut me dead.
How do you use quake in a sentence?
Quake sentence example
- There was a slight quake to her voice.
- She was half afraid to speak, fearful that a quake in her voice would expose her trepidation.
- The conductor said it was the worst quake he ever knew.
- The thought of a hot bath made her muscles quake with anticipation.
What is the original word of quake?
From Middle English quaken, from Old English cwacian (“to quake, tremble, chatter”), from Proto-Germanic *kwakōną (“to shake, quiver, tremble”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʷog- (“to shake, swing”), related to Old English cweċċan (“to shake, swing, move, vibrate, shake off, give up”) (see quitch), Dutch kwakkelen (“to
What is the synonym of quaking?
trembly, tremulous, wobbling. (also wabbling), wobbly.
Why was the entire class quaking in its boots?
Why was the entire class quaking in its boots? Solution : It is true that the whole class was shaking with fear. The teachers were to decide about the fate of the students. They were to decide who would go up in the next class or not.
What does it mean when someone says when pigs fly?
that something will never happen
Definition of when pigs fly
—used to say that one thinks that something will never happen The train station will be renovated when pigs fly.
What does the idiom bring home the bacon mean?
to earn the money that
Definition of bring home the bacon
: to earn the money that is needed to live He worked hard all week to bring home the bacon for his family.
Is the cat out of the bag meaning?
To disclose a secret: “The mayor’s visit was to be kept strictly confidential, but someone must have let the cat out of the bag, because the airport was swarming with reporters.”
What is the meaning of at a drop of a hat?
Immediately, without delay
Immediately, without delay, as in We were ready to pack our bags and go on vacation at the drop of a hat. This phrase probably alludes to signaling the start of a race or other contest by dropping a hat. [
What is the meaning of the idiom a snake in the grass?
Definition of snake in the grass
: a secretly faithless friend.
What’s the meaning of close but no cigar?
Definition of close, but no cigar
—used to say that a guess was almost correct or that an effort was almost sufficient Quick: What country jails the most journalists? If you guessed China, you were close, but no cigar.—
What does the idiom green eyes mean?
jealous or envious
British Dictionary definitions for green-eyed
green-eyed. adjective. jealous or envious. the green-eyed monster jealousy or envy. Slang.
What is the meaning of to make clean breast of?
: to speak openly and honestly about (something that previously has been lied about or kept secret) I decided to make a clean breast of it/things and admit that I was to blame.