shaky
UK: ˈʃeɪki | US: ˈʃeɪki
adj. 1. trembling or unsteady in movement
adj. 2. lacking stability or firmness; insecure
adj. 3. uncertain or unreliable in quality or performance
The word "shaky" originates from the Middle English "shaken," meaning "to tremble or vibrate," combined with the suffix "-y," which forms adjectives indicating a characteristic. The root "shake" traces back to Old English "sceacan," reflecting a sense of rapid, unsteady motion. Over time, "shaky" evolved to describe both physical instability (e.g., a shaky hand) and metaphorical uncertainty (e.g., a shaky argument). The suffix "-y" is a productive English morpheme often used to convert nouns or verbs into descriptive adjectives.
Her voice was shaky after the emotional speech.
The old ladder felt too shaky to climb safely.
His understanding of the topic is still shaky.
The company's financial future looks shaky this quarter.
I woke up with shaky legs after the intense workout.