shake like a leaf

verb

To tremble, as with fear, cold, etc.; to shiver.

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Meanings

verbshake like a leaf (third-person singular simple present shakes like a leaf, present participle shaking like a leaf, simple past shook like a leaf, past participle shaken like a leaf)

present singular third person shakes like a leaf · participle present shaking like a leaf · past shook like a leaf · participle past shaken like a leaf

  1. idiomaticsimileTo tremble, as with fear, cold, etc.; to shiver.

    My goodness, doll, you're shaking like a leaf. Rico! You've had your fun, pull up.

    2008, Etan Cohen, Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath, directed by Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, spoken by Skipper (Tom McGrath), DreamWorks Animation

Translations

Basque hosto bat bezala ikaratu
  • hosto bat bezala ikaratuto tremble
Czech chvět se jako osika
  • chvět se jako osikato tremble
Dutch beven als een espenblad, trillen als een espenblad
  • beven als een espenbladto tremble
  • trillen als een espenbladto tremble
Finnish vapista kuin haavanlehti
  • vapista kuin haavanlehtito tremble
French trembler comme une feuille
  • trembler comme une feuilleto tremble
German wie Espenlaub zittern
  • wie Espenlaub zitternto tremble
Hungarian reszket, mint a nyárfalevél
  • reszket, mint a nyárfalevélto tremble
Italian tremare come una foglia
  • tremare come una fogliato tremble
Polish trząść się jak osika
  • trząść się jak osikato tremble
Portuguese tremer como vara verde
  • tremer como vara verdeto tremble
Spanish temblar como un flan
  • temblar como un flanto tremble
Swedish darra som ett asplöv, skälva som ett asplöv
  • darra som ett asplövto tremble
  • skälva som ett asplövto tremble
Cite this entry
APA

shake like a leaf. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shake%20like%20a%20leaf

MLA

“shake like a leaf.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shake%20like%20a%20leaf. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “shake like a leaf,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shake%20like%20a%20leaf.

Source: shake like a leaf on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.