fumble
- fumble
-
I. verb
(fumbled; fumbling)
Etymology: probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Swedish fumla to fumble
Date: 1534
intransitive verb
1.
a. to grope for or handle something clumsily or aimlessly
b. to make awkward attempts to do or find something <
fumbled in his pocket for a coin
>
c. to search by trial and error
d. blunder
2. to feel one's way or move awkwardly
3.
a. to drop or juggle or fail to play cleanly a grounder
b. to lose hold of a football while handling or running with it
transitive verb
1. to bring about by clumsy manipulation
2.
a. to feel or handle clumsily
b. to deal with in a blundering way ; bungle
3. to make (one's way) in a clumsy manner
4.
a. misplay <fumble a grounder
>
b. to lose hold of (a football) while handling or running
• fumbler noun
• fumblingly adverb
II. noun
Date: 1634
1. an act or instance of fumbling
2. a fumbled ball
New Collegiate Dictionary.
2001.
:
Look at other dictionaries:
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} … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
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
