stumble
Translation
to trip, to falter, to find by chance
Examples
He stumbled on the uneven pavement.
He stumbled on the uneven pavement.
She stumbled over her words during the speech.
She stumbled over her words during the speech.
I stumbled across an interesting book in the shop.
I stumbled across an interesting book in the shop.
Grammar Patterns
to stumble ((on/over sth.)) to trip. Be careful not to stumble on that step.
to stumble ((over one's words)) to hesitate in speech. The nervous speaker stumbled over his words.
to stumble ((across/on/upon sth.)) to find by chance. We stumbled upon a hidden cafe.
Similar Words
Synonyms: trip, falter, blunder
Etymology
From Middle English, possibly of Scandinavian origin, related to words meaning to stagger or fall.
Memory Tips
Imagine your feet getting 'stuck' and then you 'tumble' over something.