different between quaver vs teeter

English

Etymology

From Middle English quaveren, frequentative form of quaven, cwavien (“to tremble”), equivalent to quave +? -er. Cognate with Low German quabbeln (“to quiver”), German quabbeln, quappeln (“to quiver”). More at quave, quab, quiver.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?kwe?v?(?)/
• Rhymes: -e?v?(r)

Noun

quaver (plural quavers)

1. A trembling shake.
2. A trembling of the voice, as in speaking or singing.
3. (music) an eighth note, drawn as a crotchet (quarter note) with a tail.

Related terms

• semiquaver
• demisemiquaver
• hemidemisemiquaver

Translations

See also

• breve
• crotchet
• longa
• minim
• semibreve

Verb

quaver (third-person singular simple present quavers, present participle quavering, simple past and past participle quavered)

1. To shake in a trembling manner.
2. (intransitive) To use the voice in a trembling manner, as in speaking or singing.
3. (transitive) To utter quaveringly.

   • We shall hear her quavering them […] to some sprightly airs of the opera.

Translations

English

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?ti?t?/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?tit??/, [?t?i??]

Etymology

Alteration of titter.

Verb

teeter (third-person singular simple present teeters, present participle teetering, simple past and past participle teetered)

1. (intransitive) To tilt back and forth on an edge.

   He teetered on the brink of the precipice.
2. (figuratively) To be indecisive.

   We teetered on the fence about buying getaway tickets and missed the opportunity.

3. (figuratively) To be close to becoming a typically negative situation.

   Despite appearances, the firm was teetering on the edge of bankruptcy.

Derived terms

• teeterer
• teeter-totter
• teeterboard

Translations

Noun

teeter (plural teeters)

1. (Canada, US) A teeter-totter or seesaw.

Anagrams

• terete