stumble
Translation
to stumble, to trip, to falter
Examples
He stumbled on the uneven pavement.
He stumbled on the uneven pavement.
She stumbled through her speech.
She stumbled through her speech.
I stumbled upon an old bookstore.
I stumbled upon an old bookstore.
Grammar Patterns
stumble ((on sth.)) to trip on (sth.) I stumbled on a rock.
stumble ((upon sth.)) to find (sth.) by chance We stumbled upon a hidden beach.
Similar Words
Synonyms: trip, falter, stagger; Antonyms: walk steadily
Etymology
Possibly from Old Norse 'stumra'. Related to 'stump', as in tripping over a tree stump.
Memory Tips
The sound of 'stumble' mimics the clumsy action of tripping and trying to regain balance.