What does "fumble" mean?
Fumble: To grope about in perplexity; to seek awkwardly; as, to fumble for an excuse. Dryden. My understanding flutters and my memory fumbles. Chesterfield. Alas! how he fumbles about the domains. Wordsworth.
Additional senses
- 2.To handle much; to play childishly; to turn over and over. I saw him fumble with the sheets, and play with flowers. Shak.
- 3.To handle or manage awkwardly; to crowd or tumble together. Shak.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00