quake in one's boots

verb

To be very frightened, scared, or nervous.

“The thought of climbing that high had him quaking in his boots.”

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Meanings

verbquake in one's boots (third-person singular simple present quakes in one's boots, present participle quaking in one's boots, simple past and past participle quaked in one's boots)

present singular third person quakes in one's boots · participle present quaking in one's boots · participle past quaked in one's boots · past quaked in one's boots · alternative shake in one's boots · alternative quake in one's shoes · alternative shake in one's shoes

  1. idiomaticinformalTo be very frightened, scared, or nervous.

    The thought of climbing that high had him quaking in his boots.

Translations

Dutch trillen op zijn benen
  • trillen op zijn benento be very frightened
Russian душа́ в пятки ушла, се́рдце в пятки ушло
  • душа́ в пятки ушла (dušá v pjatki ušla)to be very frightened
  • се́рдце в пятки ушло (sérdce v pjatki ušlo)to be very frightened
Cite this entry
APA

quake in one's boots. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/quake%20in%20one's%20boots

MLA

“quake in one's boots.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/quake%20in%20one's%20boots. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “quake in one's boots,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/quake%20in%20one's%20boots.

Source: quake in one's boots on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.