bumble — English Dictionary

Noun

1. A confusion; a jumble.

Verb

1. To act or move in an awkward or confused manner (often clumsily, incompetently, or carelessly).

   Usage

   • Intransitive

   Examples

   Spiders build webs and wait for insects to bumble into them.

2. To carry out (a task) clumsily, incompetently, or with many careless mistakes; to bungle, to botch.

   Usage

   • Transitive

Verb

1. To boom, as a Eurasian bittern.

   Usage

   • Intransitive

2. To buzz or bum.

   Usage

   • Intransitive
   • of an insect

3. To speak in a rambling, incoherent, or indistinct manner, especially at tedious length.

   Usage

   • Intransitive

4. To grumble at; to blame.

   Usage

   • Obsolete
   • Transitive

Noun

1. A bumblebee.

2. A Eurasian bittern.

   Usage

   • Ireland
   • UK usage
   • dialectal

Verb

1. make a mess of, destroy or ruin

   Synonyms

   botchbodgefumblebotch upmuffblowflubscrew upball upspoilmuck upbunglefluffbollixbollix upbollocksbollocks upbobblemishandlelouse upfoul upmess upfuck up

   Broader terms

   failgo wrongmiscarry

   Examples

   I botched the dinner and we had to eat out

   the pianist screwed up the difficult passage in the second movement

2. walk unsteadily, tripping repeatedly

   Synonyms

   stumblefalter

   Broader terms

   walk

   Examples

   The drunk man stumbled about

3. speak haltingly

   Synonyms

   stutterstammerfalter

   Broader terms

   talkspeakuttermouthverbalizeverbalise

   Examples

   The speaker faltered when he saw his opponent enter the room