BUMBLE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does bumble mean? 

• BUMBLE (verb)
  The verb BUMBLE has 3 senses:

1. make a mess of, destroy or ruin

2. walk unsteadily

3. speak haltingly

  Familiarity information: BUMBLE used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BUMBLE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they bumble    ... he / she / it bumbles   
Past simple: bumbled   
Past participle: bumbled   
-ing form: bumbling   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Make a mess of, destroy or ruin

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

ball up; blow; bobble; bodge; bollix; bollix up; bollocks; bollocks up; botch; botch up; bumble; bungle; flub; fluff; foul up; fuck up; fumble; louse up; mess up; mishandle; muck up; muff; screw up; spoil

Context example:

the pianist screwed up the difficult passage in the second movement

Hypernyms (to "bumble" is one way to...):

fail; go wrong; miscarry (be unsuccessful)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

bumbler (someone who makes mistakes because of incompetence)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Walk unsteadily

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

bumble; falter; stumble

Context example:

The drunk man stumbled about

Hypernyms (to "bumble" is one way to...):

walk (use one's feet to advance; advance by steps)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Sentence example:

Sam and Sue bumble

Sense 3

Meaning:

Speak haltingly

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

bumble; falter; stammer; stutter

Context example:

The speaker faltered when he saw his opponent enter the room

Hypernyms (to "bumble" is one way to...):

mouth; speak; talk; utter; verbalise; verbalize (express in speech)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

 Context examples 

This is the same date as the Cancer full moon lunar eclipse, so if you assumed your alliance would bumble along as slowly as the movement of a turtle—as it has recently—think again.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)