Direct Cross-Language Association: “Waver” in German
This word also exists in German! Meaning: “(dated slang) darkwaver, goth (fan of dark wave music)”
waver
Verb Conjugation Tables & Inflections
Definitions & Usage
To swing or wave, especially in the air, wind, etc.; to flutter.
To move without purpose or a specified destination; to roam, to wander.
To sway back and forth, as if about to fall; to reel, to stagger, to totter.
To begin to weaken or show signs of weakening in resolve; to falter, to flinch, to give way.
To feel or show doubt or indecision; to be indecisive between choices; to vacillate.
Of a body part such as an eye or hand, or the voice: to become unsteady; to shake, to tremble.
Of light, shadow, or a partly obscured thing: to flicker, to glimmer, to quiver.
Chiefly of a quality or thing: to change, to fluctuate, to vary.
Followed by from: to deviate from a course; to stray, to wander.
Of the wits: to become confused or unsteady; to reel.
To cause (someone or something) to move back and forth.
To cause (someone) to begin to or show signs of weakening in resolve; also (rare), to weaken in resolve due to (something).
An act of moving back and forth, swinging, or waving; a flutter, a tremble.
A state of beginning to weaken or showing signs of weakening in resolve; a falter.
A state of feeling or showing doubt or indecision; a vacillation.
One who waves their arms, or causes something to swing or wave.
A person who specializes in treating hair to make it wavy.
A tool used to make hair wavy.
(printing, historical) In full waver roller: a roller which places ink on the inking table of a printing press with a back and forth, waving motion.
(obsolete) Synonym of waverer (“one who feels or shows doubt or indecision; a vacillator”).
(obsolete except UK, dialectal, dated) A sapling or other young tree left standing when other trees around it have been felled.
Notable Literary & Historical Quotes
“There was neuer ſuche aſſemble made in Bretayne before⸝ for if the frenchmen were puyſſãt [puissant]⸝ in lyke wiſe ſo were the engliſſhmen⸝ and eche parte thought to fyght⸝ for euery day they ſhewed them ſelfe in the felde⸝ with baners and penons waueryng with the wynde⸝ it was great pleaſure to behold thẽ [them].”
— 1523 February 7 (Gregorian calendar), Johan Froyssart [i.e., Jean Froissart], “Howe They within Eureux Yelded Them Selfe Frenche⸝ ⁊ of the Two Hoostes Assembled to Gyder before Saynt Malo”, in Here Begynneth the First Volum of Sir Johan Froyssart: Of the Cronycles of Englande⸝ Fraunce⸝ Spayne⸝ Portyngale⸝ Scotlande⸝ Bretayne⸝ Flañders: And Other Places Adioynynge. […], 1st volume, London: […] Richarde Pynson⸝ […], →OCLC; reprinted as The First Volum of Sir Johan Froyssart of the Chronycles of Englande⸝ Fraunce⸝ Spayne (The English Experience […]; no. 257), Amsterdam: Theatrum Orbis Terrarum; New York, N.Y.: Da Capo Press, 1970, →ISBN, folio ccxi, verso, column 2:
“Lord (ſayth he) Put them as a wheele and a ſtoble before the face of the wynde. For as the ſtoble, whyle the wynde bloweth wauereth and flyethe aboue in the ayre, nowe hygh nowe lowe, but anone as the wynde paſſeth it falleth adowne to the erthe and lyeth there ſtylle.”
— 1536 October 26 (date written; Gregorian calendar), “[The Eyght Commandement] Cap[ut] VII”, in Diues and Pauper, London: […] Tho[mas] Bertheleti […], published 1536, →OCLC, folio 313, recto:
“Thus many thinges commyng together, partly by chaunce ⁊ partly by purpoſe, cauſed at length, not common people onely, whiche wauer with the wynde, but wyſe men alſo ⁊ ſome lordes, to marke the matter and muſe thee vpon: […]”
— a. 1548 (date written), Edward Hall, Richard Grafton, “[The Pitifull Lyfe of Kyng Edwarde the Fyft.]”, in The Vnion of the Two Noble and Illustre Famelies of Lancastre & Yorke, […], London: […] Rychard Grafton, […] [and Steven Mierdman], published 1550, →OCLC, folio xxxj, recto: