A muscular tremor or involuntary shaking of the flesh, usually caused by cold, fear, or physical sensation.
A compound of 'flesh' (from Old English 'flæsc') and 'quake' (from Old English 'cwacian,' meaning to shake). This modern combination describes a physical phenomenon where muscle fibers contract rapidly, creating visible trembling.
Your skin actually has its own nervous system—goosebumps and flesh quakes are your body's ancient survival responses, originally designed to make you look bigger to predators. That shivering sensation isn't just temperature: it's your evolutionary past literally moving your muscles.
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