I. stag ‧ ger 1 /ˈstæɡə $ -ər/ BrE AmE verb
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Origin: stacker 'to stagger' (13-19 centuries) , from Old Norse stakra , from staka 'to push' ]
1 . [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to walk or move unsteadily, almost falling over SYN stumble :
He managed to stagger home.
She staggered back a step.
The old man staggered drunkenly to his feet.
2 . [transitive] to make someone feel very surprised or shocked SYN amaze :
What staggered us was the sheer size of her salary.
3 . [intransitive] ( also stagger on ) to continue doing something when you seem to be going to fail and you do not know what will happen:
He staggered on for another two years.
stagger from something to something
The company staggered from one crisis to the next.
4 . [transitive] to arrange people’s working hours, holidays etc so that they do not all begin and end at the same time:
Jim and his wife stagger their work hours so one of them can be at home with the kids.
5 . [transitive] to start a race with each runner at a different place on a curved track
• • •
THESAURUS
■ to walk with difficulty
▪ limp to walk with difficulty because one leg hurts, so that you put most of your weight on the other leg:
Jake was limping because of the injury to his knee.
▪ stagger to walk or move unsteadily, almost falling over, especially because you are drunk or have been injured:
They finally staggered back to the hotel at 4 o'clock in the morning.
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He hit her and she staggered and fell.
▪ hobble to walk with difficulty in a slow and unsteady way because your legs or feet hurt or have been injured:
My new shoes were so painful I could only hobble along.
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She hobbled out to the car on crutches.
II. stagger 2 BrE AmE noun [countable usually singular]
an unsteady movement of someone who is having difficulty in walking