Dictionary

trepidatory en · ADJ

Meanings

1. That trepidates, or that causes trepidations.
   • Unfortunately, like Guthrie he has never given a formal statement of his principles, and it is therefore up to the reader to ferret out these things for himself — always a trepidatory procedure. 1953, Charles Egerton Osgood, Method and Theory in Experimental Psychology:
   • This was all very good news for the Church bishops because the shapeshifting werewolf had a limited trepidatory function, especially in places like England where wolves were generally unknown, although some existed then to the north in Scotland. 2003, Laurence Gardner, Realm of the Ring Lords:
   • Russell took his usual chair and the usual trepidatory sip, and was pleasantly surprised. 2008, David Downing, Silesian Station:
2. Of an earthquake, having a vertical, up-and-down motion, as opposed to a horizontal, side-to-side motion.
   • The most severe shock lasted for 70 seconds, and combined oscillatory, trepidatory, and rotatory movement. 1882, Knowledge, volume 1:
   • This [earthquake] was felt at Mexico at precisely the same hour, lasting there about one minute and a half, the motion there being undulatory, but at Acapulco trepidatory. 1843, Captin Sir Edward Belcher RN, Narrative of a Voyage Round the World:
   • The particular trepidatory and oscillatory patterns arising from the lake bed especially afflicted high-rise buildings between six and fifteen stories. 1995, Elena Poniatowska, Aurora Camacho de Schmidt, Arthur Schmidt, Nothing, Nobody: The Voices of the Mexico City Earthquake:

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