Definition of tremble

The word "tremble" originated from the Old English verb "tremsian", which meant "to shake". This word was derived from the Indo-European root "trep-", which signified "fear" or "dread". The word "tremsian" had two distinct meanings in Old English: to shake or tremble with fear or emotion, or to shake or tremble due to physical causes. As English evolved over the centuries, the two meanings began to be distinguished, with "quake" and "shudder" emerging as separate words to describe physical trembling. The simple past tense and past participle of "tremble" in Old English was "tremsede", which has evolved into "trembled" in modern English. The present participle, "trembling", has remained relatively unchanged. In Middle English, the word "tremblen" was also used to describe the act of shaking or trembling. This verb eventually fell out of use, as "tremble" became the more common and widely accepted way to describe this action. Today, the word "tremble" is used primarily to describe a physical or emotional state of agitation, nervousness, or fear, as it continues to be directly related to its Indo-European roots.