I. ˈbləndə(r) verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English blundren, blondren
intransitive verb
1. : to move unsteadily, confusedly, or blindly : flounder , stumble
the cabman blundered up and downstairs with trunks — Arnold Bennett
in their exhaustion they often blundered against each other — Norman Mailer
2. : to come or happen by or as if by accident : stumble — usually used with on or upon
evidence which I blundered upon in a manuscript — Charlton Laird
3. : to make a mistake or commit an error usually as a result of stupidity, ignorance, mental confusion, or carelessness
while he often blundered he usually won his case by sheer energy and persistence — Edward Preble
transitive verb
1. now dialect England : to mix up : muddle , roil
2. : to utter stupidly, confusedly, or thoughtlessly : blurt — usually used with out
he blundered out an apology
3. : to lose usually by stupidity, carelessness, or thoughtlessness : throw — usually used with away
it maddens me to see people blundering away thousands of pounds — G.B.Shaw
4. : to make a stupid, careless, or thoughtless mistake in : botch , bungle , mismanage
the risk we run of blundering matters through ignorance — Rafael Sabatini
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English blunder, blonder
: an error or mistake resulting usually from stupidity, ignorance, mental confusion, or carelessness
the building of light-draft monitors was a costly blunder — H.K.Beale
his chief blunder is his misconception of Aristotle — H.O.Taylor
Synonyms: see error