Didderen

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To shake or quiver slightly, as from cold, fear, or weakness, in an archaic or dialect usage
2. Trembling or quivering with a faint, rapid motion, especially from cold or agitation
3. Shivering or shaking unsteadily, a dialect and older English term for a light tremor

Etymology: "Didderen" is a Middle English verb for shaking with cold, fear, or weakness, and the sense survived in northern English and Scots dialect as "didder." Its origin is uncertain. It seems to belong to a family of expressive words that imitate a quivering motion, but no source language has been firmly established. The closest relative is "dither," which kept the trembling sense for centuries before the modern meaning of being flustered or unable to decide developed. The shift from physical shaking to mental wavering is easy to follow, since hesitation from nerves can feel exactly like trembling.