I. ˈfəmbəl verb
( fumbled ; fumbled ; fumbling -b(ə)liŋ ; fumbles )
Etymology: probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Swedish fumla to fumble, bungle, Norwegian dialect fumla
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to grope for or handle something clumsily, perplexedly, or aimlessly
fumbled nervously with her necklace before she answered
b. : make awkward attempts to do or find something
his numb hands fumble with the shoestring
fumbled in his pocket for a coin
c. : search by trial and error
a generation that fumbles after a fresh outlook on life
d. : blunder
just when the whole scheme hung in balance he fumbled
2. archaic : to be impotent in sexual relations
3. : to speak gropingly or indistinctly
he fumbled in answering and made them suspicious
: mumble
shyness made his tongue fumble
4. : to feel one's way or move awkwardly
they fumbled along the dark path
fumbled about until the admiral indicated where he was to sit — J.A.Michener
5.
a. : to drop or juggle or fail to play cleanly a ground ball — compare muff
b. : to lose hold of a football while handling or running with it
transitive verb
1. : to accomplish or bring about by clumsy or groping manipulation
fumbled the door open
2.
a. : to feel of or handle gropingly or clumsily
his toes fumbling the rough edge of a big rip in the carpet — Raymond Chandler
he fumbled the pages looking for the place
b. : to deal with in an awkward or blundering way : bungle
where adept decisive action is needed he fumbles the problem
he fumbled a chance to take the fort by surprise
3. : to utter in a groping, indistinct, or blundering way
startled into confusion, he fumbles out a few broken sentences
made to feel inferior if we fumble an unusual word — G.A.Miller
4. archaic : to bundle cumbrously or confusedly
send them forth so covered, veiled, and fumbled up — John Molle
fumble this, next, and last week's devotion all in a prayer — Thomas Fuller
5. : to make (one's way) in a clumsy or groping manner
the baby turtles will fumble their way down to the water's edge — Alan Moorehead
watch a growing community fumble its way to maturity — T.H.White b.1915
6.
a. : misplay
fumble a ground ball
b. : to lose hold of (a football) while handling or running
II. noun
( -s )
1. : an act or instance of fumbling
a long evolution that begins with the fumbles, trials and errors of practical men — Charles Frankel
safe on the shortstop's fumble
2. : a fumbled ball
fell on the quarterback's fumble