verb / noun
jitter
To move with small, rapid, unsteady movements, or such movement.
The needle on the pressure gauge jitters as the pump runs.
Etymology
Jitter is expressive, suggesting quick, repeated, unstable movement. The noun names those little disturbances, and the verb describes producing or undergoing them.
More examples
- The camera jitters whenever a truck passes outside.
- We notice a slight jitter in the ceiling fan.
- The loose mirror jittered as we drove over the gravel.
Forms
jitter · jitters · jittered · jittering
jittery adjective — Shaky, unsteady, or easily made nervous.