What does quaked mean?
Quaked is the past tense of the verb quake. It means to shake or tremble, and it is especially associated with the ground moving during an earthquake: the earth quaked, the walls quaked, or the whole structure quaked. The verb can also describe a person shaking from fear, surprise, or distress, as in “She quaked at the thought of entering the empty house.” Quaked is common in both British and American English. Its literal and figurative uses convey a movement more forceful or disturbing than an ordinary slight tremor, while figurative uses often have a dramatic or literary tone.
verbThe past tense of quake: to tremble or shake, especially as a result of fear, shock, cold, or an earthquake.
- To tremble or shake because of an earthquake or other physical force.
- To tremble or shake from fear, shock, or emotional agitation.
"The ground quaked beneath their feet as the earthquake struck."
"The building quaked as the heavy truck passed close by."
"She quaked with fear when she heard a noise in the darkness."
Before it described a trembling, the past-tense form quaked was already associated with the dramatic idea of the earth itself moving.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does quaked come from?
Quake comes from Old English cwacian, meaning “to tremble” or “shake,” a word related to Old English cwician, “to be alive” or “to move.” The word later came to be used for an earthquake, and the modern form quaked developed through the regular inflections of quake. The related word quaker originally referred to one who trembled, before acquiring its best-known historical association with the Religious Society of Friends.
Related word forms
How quaked is actually used
In the literal sense, quaked is usually used for movement caused by an earthquake or another powerful physical disturbance. Figuratively, it describes a person trembling from fear or intense emotion and is often more literary than ordinary verbs such as shook or trembled.