- (intransitive) to be anxious or nervous
- the jitters ⇒ nervousness and anxiety
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
jit•ter /ˈdʒɪtɚ/USA pronunciation
n.
v. [no object]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- jitters, [plural;
usually: the + ~] a feeling of fright or uneasiness:to get the jitters in an empty house on a stormy night.
v. [no object]
- to behave nervously:an actor jittering before going on stage.
jit•ter
( jit′ər),USA pronunciation n.
v.i.
- jitters, nervousness;
a feeling of fright or uneasiness (usually prec. by the):Every time I have to make a speech, I get the jitters. - fluctuations in the image on a television screen or in copy received by facsimile transmission, caused by interference or by momentary failures of synchronization.
v.i.
- to behave nervously.
- variant of chitter to shiver (Middle English chiteren), gradational variant of chatter 1920–25
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
jitter /ˈdʒɪtə/ informal vb
'jitter' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):