To shake or tremble slightly, usually from cold or fear, or to feel sudden fear or disgust.
From Middle Dutch 'schudden' meaning 'to shake,' which entered English around the 16th century. The word likely has Germanic roots and originally described physical trembling.
Your body shudders as an involuntary response—it's trying to generate heat when you're cold or expressing deep disgust all at once! The word perfectly mimics the sound and feeling of a sudden shake, which is why it feels so satisfying to say.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.