v. & n.
--v.
1. intr. lurch forward or have a partial fall from catching or striking or misplacing one's foot.
2 intr. (often foll. by along) walk with repeated stumbles.
3 intr. make a mistake or repeated mistakes in speaking etc.
4 intr. (foll. by on, upon, across) find or encounter by chance (stumbled on a disused well).
--n. an act of stumbling.
Phrases and idioms:
stumbling-block an obstacle or circumstance causing difficulty or hesitation.
Derivatives:
stumbler n. stumblingly adv.
Etymology: ME stumble (with euphonic b) corresp. to Norw. stumla: rel. to STAMMER