Library / English Dictionary

BUMBLE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Speak haltingly

Example:

The speaker faltered when he saw his opponent enter the room

Synonyms:

bumble; falter; stammer; stutter

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "bumble" is one way to...):

mouth; speak; talk; utter; verbalise; verbalize (express in speech)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Walk unsteadily

Example:

The drunk man stumbled about

Synonyms:

bumble; falter; stumble

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "bumble" is one way to...):

walk (use one's feet to advance; advance by steps)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Sentence example:

Sam and Sue bumble

Sense 3

Meaning:

Make a mess of, destroy or ruin

Example:

the pianist screwed up the difficult passage in the second movement

Synonyms:

ball up; blow; bobble; bodge; bollix; bollix up; bollocks; bollocks up; botch; botch up; bumble; bungle; flub; fluff; foul up; fuck up; fumble; louse up; mess up; mishandle; muck up; muff; screw up; spoil

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "bumble" is one way to...):

fail; go wrong; miscarry (be unsuccessful)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

bumbler (someone who makes mistakes because of incompetence)

Credits