earthquake
earthquake
Pronunciation
/ˈɜːrθ.kweɪk/
earth-: /ɜːrθ/ (monophthong /ɜːr/, fricative /θ/)
-quake: /kweɪk/ (plosive /k/, glide /w/, diphthong /eɪ/, plosive /k/)
Word Form Variations
Singular Noun: earthquake
Plural Noun: earthquakes
Verb (transitive/intransitive, less common): earthquake (as in, "the tremor earthquaked the town" - highly unusual but grammatically possible)
Verb (past tense/past participle): earthquaked (rarely used)
Gerund/Present Participle: earthquaking (rarely used)
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition: A sudden and violent shaking of the ground, often causing widespread destruction, that is caused by the movement of the Earth's crustal plates or by volcanic activity.
Synonyms: tremor, temblor, seism, convulsion, jolt, shock
Antonyms: stability, stillness, calm
Definition: (Figurative) A profound and disruptive event or change that significantly alters a situation, system, or belief, often with far-reaching consequences.
Synonyms: upheaval, revolution, cataclysm, crisis, disruption, jolt
Antonyms: continuity, equilibrium, stagnation, stability
Verb (Less Common Usage)
Definition: To cause a violent shaking or trembling, similar to the effects of an earthquake. (Typically used in a figurative sense, or poetically)
Synonyms: shake, tremor, convulse, jolt, rock
Antonyms: stabilize, steady, calm
Examples of Use
Books
"The Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 remains one of the most significant natural disasters in American history, leading to widespread fires and devastating the city." (From a historical account of the San Francisco earthquake, e.g., A Crack in the Edge of the World: America and the Great California Earthquake of 1906 by Simon Winchester, 2005)
"As the novel progressed, the protagonist experienced an emotional earthquake after discovering the truth about his past, shattering his perception of reality."
Newspapers
"A powerful 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck central Japan on New Year's Day, triggering tsunami warnings and widespread power outages." (Associated Press)
"Economists warn that the sudden interest rate hike could create an economic earthquake, impacting housing markets and consumer spending." (The Wall Street Journal)
Online Publications
"The recent technological advancements in AI are causing an earthquake in the job market, forcing industries to adapt and retrain their workforce." (Wired.com)
"Scientists continue to monitor seismic activity in the region, wary of another large earthquake following a series of foreshocks." (United States Geological Survey (USGS) website)
Entertainment Mediums and Platforms
Film: In the disaster film San Andreas, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson plays a rescue pilot navigating the aftermath of a massive earthquake striking California. (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Video Game: Players in the game Fortnite often experience environmental changes, including events that can trigger "mini-earthquakes" that alter the game map. (Epic Games)
Music: The song "Earthquake" by Labrinth and Tinie Tempah uses the term metaphorically to describe a powerful, disruptive force. (Syco Music)
Television Series: "The character's shocking betrayal sent an earthquake through the closely-knit community, forcing everyone to re-evaluate their relationships." (From a fictional drama series, e.g., Yellowstone, Paramount Network)
General Public Discourse
"Did you feel that? I think we just had a small earthquake!" (Common exclamation during a minor tremor)
"The company's decision to lay off a third of its workforce caused an absolute earthquake of discontent among the remaining employees." (Heard in a casual conversation about workplace news)
"After the scandal, there was an earthquake in public trust, and it will take years to rebuild." (Discussing the aftermath of a political or corporate scandal)
10 Quotes Using Earthquake
"You can no more win a war than you can win an earthquake." (Jeannette Rankin)
"An earthquake is such fun when it is over." (George Orwell, Burmese Days)
"It is not light that we need, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake." (Frederick Douglass)
"The earthquake, however, must be to every one a most impressive event: the earth, considered from our earliest childhood as the type of solidity, has oscillated like a thin crust beneath our feet; and in seeing the laboured works of man in a moment overthrown, we feel the insignificance of his boasted power." (Charles Darwin, The Voyage of the Beagle)
"Man survives earthquakes, epidemics, the horrors of disease, and agonies of the soul, but all the time his most tormenting tragedy has been, is, and will always be, the tragedy of the bedroom.” (Leo Tolstoy)
"All Nature's wildness tells the same story: the shocks and outbursts of earthquakes, volcanoes, geysers, roaring, thundering waves and floods, the silent uprush of sap in plants, storms of every sort, each and all, are the orderly, beauty-making love-beats of Nature's heart." (John Muir)
"Revolution is as unpredictable as an earthquake and as beautiful as spring." (Rebecca Solnit)
"Opinions have caused more ills than the plague or earthquakes on this little globe of ours." (Voltaire, in a letter to Élie Bertrand, January 1759)
"Whenever an earthquake or tsunami takes thousands of innocent lives, a shocked world talks of little else." (Anne M. Mulcahy)
"Once you have been in an earthquake you know, even if you survive without a scratch, that like a stroke in the heart, it remains in the earth's breast, horribly potential, always promising to return, to hit you again, with an even more devastating force." (Salman Rushdie, The Ground Beneath Her Feet)
Etymology
The word "earthquake" is a combination of two older English words: "earth" and "quake."
Earth: This part of the word comes from the Old English word "eorþe," which meant "ground," "soil," or even "the world" itself.
Quake: This comes from the Old English word "cwacian" or "cwacung," meaning "to shake" or "to tremble."
So, put together, "earthquake" literally means "earth shaking" or "earth trembling."
The first known use of "earthquake" in this combined form, specifically referring to the movement or vibration of the Earth's crust, dates back to the late 13th century, often appearing as "eorthequakynge." Before that, Old English had other words to describe such an event, like "eorðdyn," "eorðhrernes," and "eorðbeofung," all essentially meaning "earth shaking" or "earth trembling" as well.
It's a very straightforward word that clearly describes what's happening: the earth is quaking!
Phrases + Idioms Containing Earthquake
To cause an earthquake: To create a profound and widespread disturbance or change.
An emotional earthquake: A sudden and overwhelming emotional upheaval.
A political earthquake: A major and often unexpected shift in the political landscape.
To feel the earthquake coming: To sense that a major disruptive event is imminent.
After the earthquake, the aftershocks: Referring to the lingering consequences or smaller, subsequent disturbances after a major event.
To weather the earthquake: To endure or survive a major crisis or disruption.
The financial earthquake of 2008: A common historical reference to the global financial crisis.
A seismic shift: (Using a synonym, "seismic," related to earthquakes) A major and significant change, often with far-reaching consequences.
To shake things up: (Using a synonym, "shake") To disrupt the status quo or introduce significant changes.
To rock the boat: (Using a synonym, "rock") To disturb an existing situation or challenge established norms.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of earthquake from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
