jitter
jitter Lexical Profile
jitter Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A feeling of extreme nervousness, uneasiness, or anxiety, especially before an important event (usually used in the plural as 'the jitters').
"The young pianist experienced a sudden case of the jitters just moments before walking onto the stage."
Slight, rapid, irregular variation or instability in an electronic signal, display image, or network packet delay.
"High network jitter during the video conference caused the audio to sound choppy and distorted."
• verb
To make rapid, slight, jerky movements or vibrations (especially of an image, indicator, or mechanical part).
"The cursor on the monitor began to jitter uncontrollably due to a faulty mouse sensor."
To act nervously or feel anxious and restless.
"He jittered about the waiting room while the mechanics inspected his car."
Word Nuance & Usage
When referring to nervousness or anxiety, the noun is almost always used in the plural with the definite article ('the jitters'), whereas the singular uncountable form ('jitter') is standard in electronics and networking.