Stumblingly

stum·ble  (stmbl)

v. stum·bled, stum·bling, stum·bles

v.intr.

1.

a. To miss one's step in walking or running; trip and almost fall.

b. To proceed unsteadily or falteringly; flounder. See Synonyms at blunder.

c. To act or speak falteringly or clumsily.

2. To make a mistake; blunder.

3. To fall into evil ways; err.

4. To come upon accidentally or unexpectedly: "The urge to wider voyages . . . caused men to stumble upon New America" (Kenneth Cragg).

v.tr.

To cause to stumble.

n.

1. The act of stumbling.

2. A mistake or blunder.

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[Middle English stumblen, probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse stumra.]

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stumbler n.

stumbling·ly adv.