quaver

Smush the most colossal personalities from these subgroups together into one place and dangle the threat of cash or murder over their heads, and quickly the energy quavers with paranoia and ridiculousness.

Throughout the history of American music, blues, jazz and soul singers have used the jazzy quaver for the subtlest nuances of emotion: for tension, playfulness, defiance, flirtatiousness, ache or just blithe ornamentation.

Voice quavering, I told Sam that I was looking for an actual relationship, one that could go somewhere.

“Keep up the fight,” he told the audience in a quavering voice.

Dressed in a traditional feathered cloak, her voice quavered as she thrust a photo of her mother at the committee.