fumble
[ fuhm-buhl ]
/ ˈfʌm bəl /
verb (used without object), fum·bled, fum·bling.
to feel or grope about clumsily: She fumbled in her purse for the keys.
Sports. to fumble the ball.
verb (used with object), fum·bled, fum·bling.
to make, handle, etc., clumsily or inefficiently: to fumble an attempt; He fumbled his way through the crowded room.
Sports. to fail to hold or maintain hold on (a ball) after having touched it or carried it.
noun
the act of fumbling: We completed the difficult experiment without a fumble.
Sports. an act or instance of fumbling the ball.
Nearby words
fumaric, fumaric acid, fumarole, fumatorium, fumatory, fumble, fume, fume cupboard, fumed, fumet, fumeuse
Origin of fumble
1500–10; akin to Norwegian, Swedish fumla, Middle Low German fummeln to grope, fumble
Related forms
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for fumbling
British Dictionary definitions for fumbling
fumble
/ (ˈfʌmbəl) /
verb
(intr; often foll by for or with) to grope about clumsily or blindly, esp in searchinghe was fumbling in the dark for the money he had dropped
(intr; foll by at or with) to finger or play with, esp in an absent-minded way
to say or do hesitantly or awkwardlyhe fumbled the introduction badly
to fail to catch or grasp (a ball, etc) cleanly
noun
the act of fumbling
Derived Formsfumbler, nounfumblingly, adverbfumblingness, noun
Word Origin for fumble
C16: probably of Scandinavian origin; related to Swedish fumla
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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