I. ˈstamə(r) verb
( stammered ; stammered ; stammering -m(ə)riŋ ; stammers )
Etymology: Middle English stameren, from Old English stamerian; akin to Old Saxon stamarōn to stammer, Middle Dutch stameren, Old High German stamalōn, stamēn, Old Norse stamma to stammer, Gothic stamms stammering, Lithuanian stumti to push
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to make involuntary stops and repetitions in uttering syllables and words : hesitate, falter, or block oneself in speaking
is so nervous he stammers constantly
shrank a little at his vehemence, but neither blushed nor stammered — George Meredith
— compare stutter
b. : to speak or write haltingly, confusedly, or unclearly
where the pedant theologians mumble and stammer , she is articulate — W.L.Sullivan
living thoughts … in the 9th century began to stammer in Latin verses — H.O.Taylor
appear a much more diffuse, stammering, and incoherent writer than he is — Paul Welsh
c. : to make a sharp or rattling noise in a spasmodic fashion
my company's light automatics stammered furiously — John Masters
shutters were stammering and fidgeting at their hooks — Elizabeth Enright
2. dialect Britain : stagger , stumble
transitive verb
1. : to utter or speak (something) with involuntary stops or repetitions
“why — why — ” stammered the youth struggling with his balking tongue — Stephen Crane
stammered that he was afraid he had not any notes to show — worth seeing — George Meredith
2. : to utter or deliver (something) in a confused, halting, or incoherent manner
stammered a crude communism in the vernacular — John Buchan
— often used with out
contented with a very slight degree of learning, could scarcely stammer out the words of the sacrament — G.G.Coulton
II. noun
( -s )
1. : an act or instance of stammering
2. : defective utterance : the involuntary interruption of utterance
when he was at all agitated the stammer became a complete inhibition of speech — F.A.Swinnerton