jitters
jitters — 名詞
1. a strong feeling of nervousness or worry that arises in people ahead of somethin
緊張不安
重要事件前感到的緊張情緒
a strong feeling of nervousness or worry that arises in people ahead of something significant — for example, taking an exam, going to a job interview, or giving a public performance
Nikhil had the jitters before his driving test and could barely hold the wheel steady.
Nikhil 在駕照考試前感到緊張不安，幾乎連方向盤都握不穩。
have + the jitters + before + event
The night before her wedding, Lara woke up with the jitters at three.
婚禮前一晚，Lara 凌晨三點就因緊張不安而醒來。
wake up with the jitters
Waiting for the job interview results gave Kemi the jitters for the entire week.
等待工作面試結果的那整個星期都讓 Kemi 感到緊張不安。
Xiu gets the jitters whenever she speaks in front of a crowd at work.
Xiu 只要在同事面前演講就會感到緊張不安。
- nervousness
the general, neutral term for feeling worried or uneasy about something
- anxiety
a more clinical or sustained feeling of worry, stronger and longer-lasting than 'jitters'
- butterflies (in one's stomach)
an informal idiom describing the same fluttering feeling before an event, more physical than 'jitters'
- stage fright
specifically about performing or speaking in public
文法句型
the jitters
have/get/give someone the jitters
a case of the jitters
用法筆記
The noun 'jitters' is always plural in form but is uncountable in meaning, typically paired with the definite article: 'the jitters'. It is not used as a singular noun ('a jitter'). The expression is common in informal and everyday contexts, though not considered vulgar or slang.
常見錯誤
jitters — 動詞
- jitterspresent simple I / you / we / they
- jitterses3rd person singular
- jittersing-ing form
- jittersedpast simple
1. to make quick, small, repeated movements in an unsteady or jerky way — used espe
抖動
連續快速且小幅地抖動
to make quick, small, repeated movements in an unsteady or jerky way — used especially of machines, screens, or mechanical parts that are not working smoothly
The old projector jittered every few seconds, making the film hard to watch.
那台舊投影機每隔幾秒就抖動一下，讓影片很難看清楚。
Otis noticed the cursor jittering across the screen whenever the computer overheated.
Otis 發現每當電腦過熱時，螢幕上的游標就會抖個不停。
be + jittering + across/over + surface (movement pattern)
The washing machine started to jitter during the spin cycle and was turned off.
洗衣機在脫水時開始抖動，只好把它關掉。
Mert felt the handlebars jitter as he rode his bicycle over the bumpy road.
Mert 騎著腳踏車在崎嶇的道路上時，感覺到把手在抖動。
文法句型
subject + jitter(s)/jittered/is jittering
jitter + adverb of manner (jitter violently / jitter slightly)
用法筆記
This sense is most common in descriptions of technical or mechanical faults: screens, projectors, camera images, machinery, or vehicle controls. The progressive form ('is jittering', 'was jittering') is used more often than the simple form. For the meaning of a person acting nervously, see sense verb/2.
常見錯誤
❌ 'The cursor was jittering, so I restarted my computer.' (describing a machine) — This is actually correct for sense 1, but be careful not to use it for people's feelings.
2. to move around restlessly because you feel nervous, excited, or impatient — for
坐立不安
因緊張而焦躁不安地動來動去
to move around restlessly because you feel nervous, excited, or impatient — for example, tapping your foot, shifting in your seat, or checking your phone repeatedly
Jack jittered in his seat during the exam, tapping his foot against the desk.
Jack 考試時在座位上坐立不安，腳不停地踢著書桌。
jitter + in [place] + while [doing]
Megan jittered by the door, checking her phone every few seconds for hospital news.
Megan 在門邊坐立不安地等著，每隔幾秒就看一次手機，等著醫院的消息。
The children were jittering with excitement as the magician walked onto the brightly lit stage.
魔術師走上燈光明亮的舞台時，孩子們興奮得坐立不安。
Lakan jittered with excitement at the award ceremony, waiting for his name to be called.
Lakan 在頒獎典禮上興奮得坐立不安，等著自己的名字被叫到。
- fidget
the more common and general term for making small restless movements; 'fidget' is used more broadly than 'jitter'
- pace
specifically walking back and forth, a stronger and more visible form of restlessness than 'jitter'
- twitch
a sudden, quick, involuntary movement of a body part, which can look similar to jittering
文法句型
subject + jitter(s)/jittered/is jittering
jitter + preposition (with excitement / with nervousness)
jitter + adverb (jitter nervously / jitter impatiently)
用法筆記
The verb 'jitter' (sense 2) describes visible, physical restlessness — fidgeting, pacing, or small repeated movements — that signals an emotional state. It is informal and less common than 'fidget' or 'pace'. The progressive form ('he was jittering') is more natural than the simple form ('he jittered'). Distinguish from sense verb/1 (mechanical shaking) by checking whether the subject is a person or a machine.