I. ˈbəmbəl intransitive verb
( bumbled ; bumbled ; bumbling -mb(ə)liŋ ; bumbles )
Etymology: Middle English bomblen to boom, of imitative origin
1. : to make a humming sound : buzz
the June bugs bumbled foolishly against the window screens — Jean Stafford
2. : to make a low hollow sound : rumble
we bumbled across the trestle into the city — Grace H. Flandrau
II. verb
( bumbled ; bumbled ; bumbling -mb(ə)liŋ ; bumbles )
Etymology: probably alteration (influenced by bumble ) (I) of bungle
intransitive verb
1. : bungle , blunder
someone bumbled and the advantage was lost
specifically : to speak ineptly, stuttering and faltering
he bumbled through his speech
2. : to move or proceed unsteadily : stumble
bumbling along absent-mindedly on rope-soled shoes — Sybille Bedford
transitive verb
: bungle
III. noun
( -s )
1.
a. : jumble , snarl
b. : bungle , botch
2. chiefly Scotland : bungler , blunderer
IV. ˈbəm(b)əl, ˈbu̇m- noun
( -s )
Etymology: short for bumblebee
1. dialect England : bumblebee
2. chiefly Scotland : idler , loafer
3.
[ bumble (I) ]
dialect England : bittern
V. ˈbu̇məl noun
( -s )
Etymology: origin unknown
dialect England : bulrush
VI. ˈbəmbəl noun
( -s )
Etymology: after Bumble, a parish beadle in the novel Oliver Twist (1837-9) by Charles Dickens died 1870 English novelist
Britain : a pompous self-important minor official ; especially : beadle