shakily

/ˈʃeɪkɪli/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈʃeɪkɪli/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈshākə̇lē -li/ (ame, mw)

shakily — 副詞

1. with physical trembling caused by illness, weakness, old age, or strong feelings

1.副詞B2
釋義

顫抖地

因生病或虛弱而身體顫抖的樣子

with physical trembling caused by illness, weakness, old age, or strong feelings such as fear or nervousness

例句

After a week with the flu, Nellie stood shakily and walked to the window.

Nellie 感冒一週後，顫抖地站起來走向窗戶。

shakily + verbs of movement (stood, walked)

Padma rose shakily from the hospital bed and reached for her walking stick.

Padma 顫抖地從病床上站起身，伸手去拿她的枴杖。

同義詞
  • tremblingly

    more direct focus on the shaking motion itself

  • unsteadily

    broader — can describe shaky movement from any cause

  • falteringly

    adds a sense of hesitation or uncertainty to the movement

反義詞

文法句型

shakily + verb of movement (stand, walk, rise, lift)

用法筆記

Commonly used with verbs that describe getting up, walking, or holding objects — actions that become difficult when the body is trembling.

常見錯誤

❌He shakily to the door
✅He walked shakily to the door.
💡shakily is an adverb, not a verb; it needs a main verb like walk, stand, or rise.

2. swaying to the left and right in an unsteady way, as if about to fall over becau

2.副詞B2
釋義

搖晃地

物體搖擺不定、不穩固的樣子

swaying to the left and right in an unsteady way, as if about to fall over because something is not properly balanced or fixed

例句

The tall pile of boxes balanced shakily on the chair in the corner.

那疊高高的盒子搖晃地疊放在角落的椅子上。

shakily + verb of position (balanced)

Asher's bicycle wobbled shakily as he tried to ride up the steep hill.

Asher 的腳踏車搖晃地前進，因為他正試圖騎上那條陡峭的坡道。

同義詞
  • unsteadily

    more general; can describe people or objects

  • precariously

    adds a sense of danger or risk of falling

  • wobblingly

    more informal; suggests a visible side-to-side motion

反義詞

文法句型

shakily + verb of position (balance, stand, wobble)

用法筆記

Focuses on the physical instability of objects or structures, not on a person's body trembling. Subject is typically an inanimate object like a pile, ladder, bicycle, or piece of furniture.

常見錯誤

❌ 'The table stood shakily' when the table itself is well-built — use only when the object is actually unbalanced or loose.

3. in a voice that trembles slightly and shows a lack of confidence, often because

3.副詞B2
釋義

顫聲地

說話時聲音因緊張而發抖

in a voice that trembles slightly and shows a lack of confidence, often because of nervousness, fear, or sadness

例句

I am truly sorry, Indra said shakily, her voice barely above a whisper.

「我真的對不起，」Indra 顫聲地說，聲音幾乎細不可聞。

shakily + verb of speaking (said) — for trembling voice

That is the right street, Layla said shakily, though she was not really sure.

「就是那條街沒錯，」Layla 顫聲地說，儘管她其實不太確定。

同義詞
  • hesitantly

    focuses on uncertainty rather than vocal trembling

  • falteringly

    suggests the voice breaks or stops and starts

  • tremulously

    more literary; describes a trembling voice

反義詞

文法句型

shakily + verb of speaking (say, speak, answer, whisper)

用法筆記

Only describes how a person speaks — the trembling is in the voice, not the body. Often used in dialogue tags or descriptions of emotional moments.

常見錯誤

❌ 'He wrote shakily' when describing a nervous letter — that is sense 1 (body trembling); for voice, use with said, spoke, answered, or whispered.

4. showing a lack of stability or a weak foundation, so that future success or prog

4.副詞C1
釋義

不穩地

情況不穩定、難以成功的樣子

showing a lack of stability or a weak foundation, so that future success or progress seems doubtful

例句

The new restaurant ran shakily for six months before it finally closed down.

那間新餐廳不穩地經營了六個月，最後還是關門了。

shakily + verb of progress (ran) — figurative use for businesses

The football team started shakily but improved a lot as the game went on.

那支足球隊開局不穩，但隨著比賽進行進步了很多。

同義詞
  • precariously

    more formal; emphasizes imminent risk of failure

  • insecurely

    focuses on lack of stable foundation

  • uncertainly

    broader; describes lack of certainty about success

反義詞
  • steadily

    in a stable, secure way

  • strongly

    with a firm foundation and good prospects

文法句型

shakily + verb of progress or stability (run, start, hold)

用法筆記

Figurative sense — does not describe physical shaking. Subject is usually an organization, plan, relationship, or system that is in danger of failing.

常見錯誤

❌The agreement was shakily
✅The agreement held shakily
💡shakily is an adverb, not an adjective; it must modify a verb like held, ran, or started.