jitter
/'dʤitə/
Definition
Noun:
- Small irregular movement: A slight, often rapid, unsteady movement or vibration.
- Small rapid variations in a signal: In electronics and telecommunications, small, rapid, and unwanted variations in the timing or amplitude of a waveform, often caused by interference or instability.
Verb (informal):
- To be nervous or act nervously: To feel or behave in a restless, anxious, or agitated manner.
Usage and Examples
- As a noun (technical):
- The video quality was poor due to excessive timing jitter in the signal.
- The astronomer adjusted the telescope to minimize image jitter caused by the wind.
- As a noun (general):
- There was a noticeable jitter in his hand as he reached for the glass.
- As a verb (informal):
- Don't jitter; the interview will be fine.
- She started to jitter while waiting for the test results.
Advanced Usage
- "The jitters" (noun, plural, informal): A feeling of extreme nervousness.
- I always get the jitters before giving a public speech.
- "Jitter-free" (adjective): Describing a signal or performance without unwanted variations.
- This new amplifier promises jitter-free audio playback.
Variants and Related Words
- Jittery (adjective): Nervous or characterized by jerky movements.
- The jittery horse startled at the loud noise.
- He felt jittery after drinking too much coffee.
- Jitteriness (noun): The state or quality of being jittery.
Synonyms
- Noun (movement): Tremor, vibration, shake, quiver.
- Noun (signal variation): Fluctuation, instability, noise.
- Verb/State (nervousness): Fidget, tremble, quake, fret.
Related Phrases and Idioms
- "To have the jitters": To be very nervous or anxious.
- He had the jitters on his first day at the new job.
- "Pre-game jitters": Nervousness felt by athletes or performers before an event.
- Even seasoned actors sometimes experience pre-show jitters.
Noun
-
a small irregular movement
-
small rapid variations in a waveform resulting from fluctuations in the voltage supply or mechanical vibrations or other sources
