Fumble
- Fumble
- Fumble Fum"ble, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Fumbled}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Fumbling}.] [Akin to D. fommelen to crumple, fumble, Sw.
fumla to fusuble, famla to grope, Dan. famle to grope,
fumble, Icel. falme, AS. folm palm of the hand. See {Feel},
and cf. {Fanble}, {Palm}.]
1. To feel or grope about; to make awkward attempts to do or
find something.
[1913 Webster]
Adams now began to fumble in his pockets.
--Fielding.
[1913 Webster]
2. To grope about in perplexity; to seek awkwardly; as, to
fumble for an excuse. --Dryden.
[1913 Webster]
My understanding flutters and my memory fumbles.
--Chesterfield.
[1913 Webster]
Alas! how he fumbles about the domains.
--Wordsworth.
[1913 Webster]
3. To handle much; to play childishly; to turn over and over.
[1913 Webster]
I saw him fumble with the sheets, and play with
flowers. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
2000.
:
Look at other dictionaries:
fumble — (v.) mid 15c., handle clumsily, possibly from O.N. falma to fumble, grope. Similar words in Scandinavian and North Sea Germanic suggest onomatopoeia from a sound felt to indicate clumsiness (Cf. bumble, stumble, and obsolete English famble,… … Etymology dictionary
fumble — ► VERB 1) use the hands clumsily while doing or handling something. 2) (of the hands) do or handle something clumsily. 3) (fumble about/around) move about clumsily using the hands to find one s way. 4) express oneself or deal with something… … English terms dictionary
Fumble — Fum ble, v. t. To handle or manage awkwardly; to crowd or tumble together. Shak. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
fumble — index miscue, mismanage Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 … Law dictionary
fumble — vb *botch, bungle, muff, cobble Analogous words: blunder, flounder, *stumble … New Dictionary of Synonyms
fumble — [v] bumble, mess up bollix*, botch*, bungle*, err, feel, flounder, flub*, fluff*, goof*, grapple, grope, lose the handle*, louse up*, misfield, mishandle, mismanage, scrabble*, screw up*, spoil, stumble; concepts 101,181 Ant. do well … New thesaurus
fumble — [fum′bəl] vi., vt. fumbled, fumbling [var. of ME famelen, prob. < ON famla, akin to Du fommeln, Ger fummeln] 1. to search (for a thing) by feeling about awkwardly with the hands; grope clumsily 2. to handle (a thing) clumsily or unskillfully;… … English World dictionary
Fumble — A fumble in American and Canadian football is when a player, who has possession and control of the ball, drops the ball. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession. A fumble… … Wikipedia
Fumble — Ein Turnover bedeutet im American Football den Ballverlust und die Abgabe des Angriffrechts einer Mannschaft. Dies ist beim American Football schwerwiegend, da man ohne Angriffsrecht nur schwer punkten kann. Es gibt drei Arten des Turnovers:… … Deutsch Wikipedia
fumble — I UK [ˈfʌmb(ə)l] / US verb Word forms fumble : present tense I/you/we/they fumble he/she/it fumbles present participle fumbling past tense fumbled past participle fumbled 1) [intransitive] to try to hold, move, or find something using your hands… … English dictionary
