(to be) “Trembling With Fear”

ost traditional English teachers would tell you that this expression is an Idiom…  It is not.  There is no such thing as an “Idiom”.  But this expression is not even Idiomatic.  This Phrasal-Verb can be used both Metaphorically & Literally.  However — it is most-often used Metaphorically.

he Metaphor is from the situation of a person being so filled with fear that they are LITERALLY “Trembling”.  They are “Trembling With (as a result of) Fear”.  But if someone uses this Phrase to express that they or someone else is or was very very frightened — but they are not actually physically “Trembling” — then the Phrase is being used Metaphorically.

s stated above — This Phrasal-Verb is usually used Metaphorically to say that someone is or was very very afraid; filled with fear.  It is usually used as an exaggeration of the situation.

t can be argued that this Expression would be more Grammatically Correct if we used the Preposition “from” — “Trembling From Fear”.  However — we also say that someone is “sick with the flu”;  has “come down with a fever”.

ne could also argue for the use of the Preposition “of”, as well.  But since we have been saying this Phrase with the word “With” for so long — there is no point in trying to change the Common Usage of this Phrase.

his expression can also be used sarcastically — in response to some sort of threat — or in a situation where someone else is trying to be intimidating, but is not doing a very good job of it.