waver
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈweɪvə/
ipa: /ˈweɪvəɹ/
homophone: waiver
rhymes: -eɪvə(ɹ)
Forms: form: wavers
form: wavering
form: wavered
form: wavered
form: no-table-tags
form: glossary
form: waver
form: waver
form: wavered
form: waver
form: waverest
form: wavered
form: waveredst
form: wavers
form: wavereth
form: wavered
form: waver
form: wavered
form: waver
form: wavered
form: waver
form: -
form: wavering
form: wavered
Etymology: The verb is derived from Middle English waveren (“to move back and forth, swing; to move unsteadily, totter; to shake, tremble; to wander; (figurative) to be changeable or unstable; to deviate”), and then possibly:
* from Old English (compare Old English wǣfre (“flickering, quivering, wavering; active, nimble (?)”)), related to Old English wafian (“to wave”) from Proto-West Germanic *wabbjan (“to cause to weave; to entangle; to wrap”), from Proto-Germanic *wabjaną (“to cause to weave; to entangle; to wrap”); and/or
* from Old Norse vafra (“to move unsteadily, flicker”), probably related to vefa (“to weave”);
both from Proto-Germanic *webaną (“to weave”), from Proto-Indo-European *webʰ- (“to braid, weave”). Doublet of wave.
The noun is derived from the verb.
Senses: examples: text: Flowers wavered in the breeze.
text: There was neuer ſuche aſſemble made in Bretayne before⸝ for if the frenchmen were puyſſãt [puissant]⸝ in lyke wiſe ſo were the engliſſhmen⸝ and eche parte thought to fyght⸝ for euery day they ſhewed them ſelfe in the felde⸝ with baners and penons waueryng with the wynde⸝ it was great pleaſure to behold thẽ [them].
ref: 1523 February 7 (Gregorian calendar), Johan Froyssart [i.e., Jean Froissart], “Howe They within Eureux Yelded Them Selfe Frenche⸝ ⁊ of the Two Hoostes Assembled to Gyder before Saynt Malo”, in Here Begynneth the First Volum of Sir Johan Froyssart: Of the Cronycles of Englande⸝ Fraunce⸝ Spayne⸝ Portyngale⸝ Scotlande⸝ Bretayne⸝ Flañders: And Other Places Adioynynge. […], 1st volume, London: […] Richarde Pynson⸝ […], →OCLC; reprinted as The First Volum of Sir Johan Froyssart of the Chronycles of Englande⸝ Fraunce⸝ Spayne (The English Experience […]; no. 257), Amsterdam: Theatrum Orbis Terrarum; New York, N.Y.: Da Capo Press, 1970, →ISBN, folio ccxi, verso, column 2:
text: Lord (ſayth he) Put them as a wheele and a ſtoble before the face of the wynde. For as the ſtoble, whyle the wynde bloweth wauereth and flyethe aboue in the ayre, nowe hygh nowe lowe, but anone as the wynde paſſeth it falleth adowne to the erthe and lyeth there ſtylle.
ref: 1536 October 26 (date written; Gregorian calendar), “[The Eyght Commandement] Cap[ut] VII”, in Diues and Pauper, London: […] Tho[mas] Bertheleti […], published 1536, →OCLC, folio 313, recto:
text: Thus many thinges commyng together, partly by chaunce ⁊ partly by purpoſe, cauſed at length, not common people onely, whiche wauer with the wynde, but wyſe men alſo ⁊ ſome lordes, to marke the matter and muſe thee vpon: […]
ref: a. 1548 (date written), Edward Hall, Richard Grafton, “[The Pitifull Lyfe of Kyng Edwarde the Fyft.]”, in The Vnion of the Two Noble and Illustre Famelies of Lancastre & Yorke, […], London: […] Rychard Grafton, […] [and Steven Mierdman], published 1550, →OCLC, folio xxxj, recto:
text: The byrdes fliyng and wauoring in the ayer, in the ſtede of houſes haue neſtes to reſt them in. But the ſonne of man ſo is deſtitute of all ſuccours of this worlde, that he hath no place to laye his head in.
ref: 1549 February 10 (Gregorian calendar; indicated as 1548), Erasmus, “The Paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Gospell of Saincte Matthew. The .viii. Chapiter.”, in Nicolas Udall [i.e., Nicholas Udall], transl., The First Tome or Volume of the Paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Newe Testamente, London: […] Edwarde Whitchurche, →OCLC, folio lvi, recto:
text: Theſe Penoncels are made of certain ſmal peeces of Taffeta or Sarcinet, cut after the forme of a Pennon, vvherevvith Martiall men doe oftentimes adorne their Speares and Launces, vvhich albeit of themſelues they be things of no moment, yet doe they very often (like as alſo Banners doe) aſtoniſh the Enemie through their continuall motion, foraſmuch as they are euermore vvafting and vvauering in the vvinde, vvhereby they doe ſo occupy the enemies eie as that it breedeth a terrour in the minde of their foes, […]
ref: 1610, John Guillim, “Sect[ion] IV. Chap[ter] XIII.”, in A Display of Heraldrie: […], London: […] William Hall for Raphe Mab, →OCLC, page 224:
text: Mean vvhile, the Leaves, / That, late, the Foreſt clad vvith lively Green, / Nipt by the drizzly Night, and Sallovv-hu'd, / Fall, vvavering, thro' the Air; or ſhovver amain, / Urg'd by the Breeze, that ſobs amid the Boughs.
ref: 1726, James Thomson, Winter. A Poem, […] J[ohn] Millan, […]; and sold by J. Roberts, […], and N. Blandford, […], →OCLC, page 3:
text: [B]y the red and dusky light of the torches, he could discern a figure wavering and struggling as it hung suspended above the heads of the multitude.
ref: 1818 July 25, Jedediah Cleishbotham [pseudonym; Walter Scott], chapter VI, in Tales of My Landlord, Second Series, […] (The Heart of Mid-Lothian), volume I, Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Company, →OCLC, page 174:
text: [T]hou would'st waver on one of these trees as a terror to all evil speakers against dignities.
ref: 1819 December 20 (indicated as 1820), Walter Scott, chapter I, in Ivanhoe; a Romance. […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co. […], →OCLC, page 18:
text: From the high tree the blossom wavering fell, / And over them the tremulous isles of light / Slided, they moving under shade: […]
ref: 1847, Alfred Tennyson, “Part VI”, in The Princess: A Medley, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 124:
glosses: To swing or wave, especially in the air, wind, etc.; to flutter.
examples: text: [T]here vvere tvvo Channels, one on the North, another on the South, vvhere through the fiſher-men did vvander and vvauer vp to Norvvitch, and diuers parts of Suffolke and Norfolke, […]
ref: 1599, [Thomas] Nashe, Nashes Lenten Stuffe, […], London: […] [Thomas Judson and Valentine Simmes] for N[icholas] L[ing] and C[uthbert] B[urby] […], →OCLC, page 9:
text: Michael watched him down the corridor, saw him waver into the dusky street.
ref: 1924 October, John Galsworthy, “Bicket”, in The White Monkey, London: William Heinemann, published November 1924, →OCLC, part I, page 61:
glosses: To move without purpose or a specified destination; to roam, to wander.
examples: text: […] Oza for puttyng his hande to the holy ſhryne⸝ that vvas called Archa federis [the Ark of the Covenant]⸝ whan it was broughte by kyng Dauid frõ [from] the citie of Baba [i.e., Ba'alah or Kiriath-Jearim]⸝ though it were wauerynge and in daunger to fall⸝ yet was he ſtryken of god⸝ and fell deed [dead] immediately.
ref: 1531, Thomas Elyot, “The Moste Cõmodious and Necessary Studies Succedyng Ordinatly the Lesson of Poetes”, in The Boke Named the Governour […], London: […] Tho[mas] Bertheleti, →OCLC, 1st boke, folios 41, verso – 42, recto:
text: The Fins [of a fish] made of griſtly Spokes or Rays connected by Membranes, ſo that they may be contracted or extended like VVomens Fans, and furniſhed vvith Muſcles for motion, ſerve partly for progreſſion, but chiefly to hold the Body upright; vvhich appears in that vvhen they are cut off, it vvavers to and fro, and ſo ſoon as the Fiſh dies, the Belly turns upvvard.
ref: 1691, John Ray, “Of Bodies Endued with a Sensitive Soul, or Animals”, in The Wisdom of God Manifested in the Works of the Creation. […], London: […] Samuel Smith, […], →OCLC, pages 141–142:
text: Tom often heard her praying, as she wavered and trembled, and seemed about to fall down.
ref: 1851 June – 1852 April, Harriet Beecher Stowe, “Cassy”, in Uncle Tom’s Cabin; or, Life among the Lowly, volume I, Boston, Mass.: John P[unchard] Jewett & Company; Cleveland, Oh.: Jewett, Proctor & Worthington, published 20 March 1852, →OCLC, page 191:
glosses: To sway back and forth, as if about to fall; to reel, to stagger, to totter.
examples: text: Despite all the terrible things that happened to her, she never wavered from her beliefs.
text: The capitayn […], to thentent to ſhewe hymſelfe valiante and not willyng to breake hys othe, neither to wauer frõ [from] hys allegeance, boſted that he would rather dye in the defence then frely yeld the caſtle.
ref: a. 1548 (date written), Edward Hall, Richard Grafton, “[The Victorious Actes of Kyng Henry the Fifth.] The .IIII. Yere.”, in The Vnion of the Two Noble and Illustre Famelies of Lancastre & Yorke, […], London: […] Rychard Grafton, […] [and Steven Mierdman], published 1550, →OCLC, folio xxv, recto:
text: [H]eerein thou vvauereſt and doubteſt.
ref: [1590?], William Perkins, “A Dialogue Containing the Conflictes betweene Sathan and the Christian. [The Conflicts of Sathan with the Strong Christian.]”, in A Treatise Tending vnto a Declaration whether a Man be in the Estate of Damnation or in the Estate of Grace: […], London: […] R. Robinson, for T. Gubbin, and I[ohn] Porter, →OCLC, page 245:
text: If, in dishonour of my great design, / Mine and thy fame thou damn'st at this great hour / With any boyish weakness—if thou waverest— / By all the Gods!
ref: a. 1812 (date written), Richard Cumberland, “The Sybil, or The Elder Brutus, a Tragedy”, in Frances Marianne [Cumberland] Jansen, editor, The Posthumous Dramatick Works of the Late Richard Cumberland, Esq. […], volume I, London: […] [F]or G[eorge] and W[illiam] Nicol, […]; by W[illiam] Bulmer and Co., […], published 1813, →OCLC, Act III, pages 38–39:
text: The rebels opened the action with a round from their cannon which struck down the royal standard; but never for a moment had they a chance of victory; the sustained fire of the Lanzknechts threw their dense and unorganized masses into rapid confusion. As they wavered, Warwick's horse were in the midst of them, and the fields were covered instantly with a scattered and flying crowd.
ref: 1860, James Anthony Froude, “Fall of the Protector”, in History of England from the Fall of Wolsey to the Death of Elizabeth, volume V, London: John W[illiam] Parker, and Son, […], →OCLC, page 213:
text: The philosophers declared that there was a mysterious connection between honor and courage and between courage and the nervous system, and that when a man was in the wrong his courage wavered, and his nerves became unsteady, and so he couldn't fight to advantage and was easily overcome by his adversary.
ref: 1891, Cha[rle]s H. Smith [pseudonym; Bill Arp], “The Code Duello”, in The Farm and the Fireside: Sketches of Domestic Life in War and in Peace. […], Atlanta, Ga.: The Constitution Publishing Company, →OCLC, page 257:
text: Javik: Do not waver. Victory is never won without difficult choices. / Shepard: I'll do whatever it takes. I didn't come this far to back down.
ref: 2012, BioWare, Mass Effect 3: From Ashes, Redwood City, Calif.: Electronic Arts, P.C., scene: Earth (Priority: Earth):
text: Although they believe they can overhaul their 2–0 deficit, they cannot afford to be as lethargic as this at Camp Nou, and the time is surely approaching when Manuel Pellegrini's faith in Martín Demichelis wavers.
ref: 2014 March 9, Jacob Steinberg, “Wigan shock Manchester City in FA Cup again to reach semi-finals”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 15 Jan 2025:
glosses: To begin to weaken or show signs of weakening in resolve; to falter, to flinch, to give way.
examples: text: […] I ſhall not much vvaver to affirm that thoſe vvords vvhich are made to intimate, as if they forbad all divorce but for adultery […] thoſe vvords tak'n circumſcriptly, […] are as much againſt plain equity, and the mercy of religion, […]
ref: 1643, J[ohn] M[ilton], The Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce: […], London: […] T[homas] P[aine] and M[atthew] S[immons] […], →OCLC, page 34:
text: Let not that man think that he shall obtain anything from the Lord. What man? Why, he that doubteth or wavereth in his mind, about the truth of the mercy of God in Christ; […]
ref: a. 1689 (date written), John Bunyan, “ Of Justification by an Imputed Righteousness; or, No Way to Heaven but by Jesus Christ”, in Henry Stebbing, editor, The Entire Works of John Bunyan, […], volume I, London: James S[prent] Virtue, […], published 1863, →OCLC, page 409, column 2:
glosses: To feel or show doubt or indecision; to be indecisive between choices; to vacillate.
examples: text: His voice wavered when the reporter brought up the controversial topic.
text: "No," replied the old man, wavering in his voice, no less than in his manner. "No. Let us go on. I am ready. I am quite ready, Nell."
ref: 1840 April – 1841 November, Charles Dickens, “Chapter the Forty-fifth”, in The Old Curiosity Shop. A Tale. […], volume II, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1841, →OCLC, page 44:
text: The clear voice faltered—the lithe form stooped— / The white hands wavered—the bright head drooped— / The trumpets quavered, the lights burned blue, / And the Goddess died—as Goddesses do.
ref: 1888, Rudyard Kipling, “[Other Verses] Diana of Ephesus”, in Departmental Ditties and Barrack-room Ballads (The Complete Works of Rudyard Kipling; XXXII), Sussex edition, London: Macmillan and Co., […], published 1938, →OCLC, page 57:
glosses: Of a body part such as an eye or hand, or the voice: to become unsteady; to shake, to tremble.
examples: text: For I took at once tvvo Triangular Glaſſes, and one of them being kept fixt in the ſame Poſture, that the Iris it projected on the Floor might not VVaver, I caſt on the ſame Floor another Iris vvith the other Priſm, and Moving it too and fro to bring vvhat part of the ſecond Iris I pleas'd, to fall upon vvhat part of the firſt I thought fit, vve did ſometimes (for a ſmall Errour ſuffices to hinder the Succeſs) obtain by this means a Green Colour in that part of the more Stable Iris, […]
ref: 1664, Robert Boyle, “Experiment XIV”, in Experiments and Considerations Touching Colours. […], London: […] Henry Herringman […], →OCLC, part III (Containing Promiscuous Experiments about Colours), page 227:
text: [U]nder the Roman empire, men's notions of mechanical relations became faint, wavered, and disappeared, […]
ref: 1837, William Whewell, “On the Indistinctiveness of Ideas in the Middle Ages”, in History of the Inductive Sciences, from the Earliest to the Present Times. […], volume I, London: John W[illiam] Parker, […]; Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: J. and J. J. Deighton, →OCLC, book IV (History of the Physical Sciences in the Middle Ages), page 247:
text: [T]he shadow of the flowers / Stole all the golden gloss, and, wavering / Lovingly lower, trembled on her waist— / Ah, happy shade—and still went wavering down, […]
ref: 1842, Alfred Tennyson, “The Gardener’s Daughter; or, The Pictures”, in Poems. […], volume II, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 25:
glosses: Of light, shadow, or a partly obscured thing: to flicker, to glimmer, to quiver.
examples: text: [T]he Englyſhe affaires (as you haue heard) within yͤ realme began to wauer, and waxe variable, whyche cauſed the Engliſhe capitaines, to be of diuerſe opinions.
ref: a. 1548 (date written), Edward Hall, Richard Grafton, “[The Troubleous Season of Kyng Henry the Sixt.] The Nynth Yere.”, in The Vnion of the Two Noble and Illustre Famelies of Lancastre & Yorke, […], London: […] Rychard Grafton, […] [and Steven Mierdman], published 1550, →OCLC, folio xxxiiij, recto:
text: [D]uring the whole space of time just mentioned, Mr. Benjamin Allen had been wavering between intoxication partial and intoxication complete.
ref: 1836 March – 1837 October, Charles Dickens, “How Mr. Winkle, when He Stepped Out of the Frying-pan, Walked Gently and Comfortably into the Fire”, in The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1837, →OCLC, page 407:
text: He had a waistcoat—worn winter and summer—a waistcoat that wavered in hue between a sunny buff and a stony drab, which look so ineffably respectable that I am certain if it had been presented at the pay-counter of any bank in Lombard-street the clerks would have cashed it at once for any amount of notes or gold demanded.
ref: 1859 December 13, George Augustus Sala, “The Ghost in the Double Room”, in Charles Dickens, editor, The Haunted House. The Extra Christmas Number of All the Year Round […], volume II, London: […] C[harles] Whiting, […], →OCLC, page 14, column 1:
glosses: Chiefly of a quality or thing: to change, to fluctuate, to vary.
examples: text: And gif it be ane beaſt, ane buke being placed betvvix the hornes of the beaſt, or vpon his forehead, and he and his vvitnes, at the leaſt tvva, ſall ſvveare that, that beaſt did vvaver avvay from him, as he affirmed in his clame; and that he vvas not given, nor ſauld be him to any man, in any maner of vvay.
ref: [1609, “Quoniam Attachiamenta. Or The Baron Lawes. Chap[ter] 10. Challenge of Cattell.”, in John Skene, transl., Regiam Majestatem. The Auld Lawes and Constitutions of Scotland, […] (in Scots), Edinburgh: […] Thomas Finlason, →OCLC, folio 78, recto:
english: And if it be one beast, one book being placed betwixt the horns of the beast, or upon his forehead, and he and his witness, at the least two, shall swear that, the beast did waver away from him, as he affirmed in the claim; and that he was not given, nor sold by him to any man, in any manner of way.
translation: And if it be one beast, one book being placed betwixt the horns of the beast, or upon his forehead, and he and his witness, at the least two, shall swear that, the beast did waver away from him, as he affirmed in the claim; and that he was not given, nor sold by him to any man, in any manner of way.
bold_translation_offsets: 174
179
glosses: Followed by from: to deviate from a course; to stray, to wander.
examples: text: I am hungry, and I am vveary, and I cannot find him. / Keep my wits heaven, I feele 'em wavering, / O God my head.
ref: c. 1621, John Fletcher, Philip Massinger, “The Pilgrim”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1647, →OCLC, Act III, scene iii, page 56, column 1:
glosses: Of the wits: to become confused or unsteady; to reel.
examples: text: [I]f the Admirall ſhall happen to hull in the night: then to make a wauering light ouer his other light, wauering the light vpon a pole.
ref: 1589, Edward Haies [i.e., Hayes], “A Report of the Voyage and Successe thereof, Attempted in the Yeere of Our Lord 1583, by Sir Humfrey Gilbert Knight, […] [Orders Agreed vpon by the Captaines and Maisters to be Obserued by the Fleet of Sir Humfrey Gilbert.]”, in Richard Hakluyt, The Principall Navigations, Voiages, and Discoveries of the English Nation, […], London: […] George Bishop and Ralph Newberie, deputies to Christopher Barker, […], →OCLC, page 683:
text: A third wauered and wagled his head, like a proud horſe playing with his bridle, or as I haue ſeene ſome fantaſticall ſwimmer, at euerie ſtroke train his chin ſide-long ouer his left ſhoulder.
ref: 1594, Tho[mas] Nashe, “The Vnfortunate Traueller”, in The Vnfortunate Traueller. Or, The Life of Iacke Wilton, London: […] T. Scarlet for C[uthbert] Burby, […], →OCLC:
glosses: To cause (someone or something) to move back and forth.
examples: text: Th'vnconſtant Barrons, vvauering euery houre, / The fierce encounter of this raging tyde, / No ſtrategem yet ſtrongly policied; […]
ref: [1596], Michaell Drayton [i.e., Michael Drayton], Mortimeriados. The Lamentable Ciuell Warres of Edward the Second and the Barrons, London: […] I. R. for Humfry Lownes, […], →OCLC, signature [B4], verso:
glosses: To cause (someone) to begin to or show signs of weakening in resolve; also (rare), to weaken in resolve due to (something).
Derived terms: word: haver
word: waverer
word: wavering
word: wavery
Related terms: wave