ˈstʌmbl v. & n. --v. 1 intr. lurch
forward or
have a
partial fall from catching or
striking or misplacing one's
foot. 2 intr. (often foll. by along)
walk with repeated stumbles. 3 intr.
make a
mistake or repeated mistakes in
speaking etc. 4 intr. (foll. by
on,
upon, across)
find or
encounter by
chance (stumbled on a disused well). --n. an
act of stumbling. østumbling-block an
obstacle or
circumstance causing
difficulty or hesitation. øøstumbler n. stumblingly adv. [ME stumble (with euphonic b) corresp. to Norw. stumla: rel. to STAMMER]