Also, shake in one's boots; quake or shake like a leaf. Both quake and shake here mean "tremble." These idioms were preceded by the alliterative phrase shake in one's shoes in the late 1800s. A similar expression was used by Chaucer, who put it as quake like an aspen leaf, a particularly apt comparison since aspen leaves have flattened stems that cause the leaves to quiver in the gentlest breeze.

eg: The very thought of a hurricane blowing in makes me quake in my boots.

Note:

Quake in one's boots和shake like a leaf的意思都是害怕得发抖。这个用法源于十七世纪末的头韵短语shake in one's shoes。英国诗人乔叟曾说过quake like an aspen leaf，因为杨树叶的叶柄是扁平的，稍有微风便会摆动。

例：一想到飓风可能随时来袭我就不寒而栗。