fum·ble
(fŭḿbəl)
[Middle English fomelen, to grope.]
verb: -bled, -bling, -bles.
intransitive verb
- To touch or handle nervously or idly: fumble with a necktie.
- To grope awkwardly to find or to accomplish something: fumble for a key.
- To proceed awkwardly and uncertainly; blunder: fumble through a speech.
- Football To drop a ball that is in play.
- Baseball To mishandle a ground ball.
transitive verb
- To touch or handle clumsily or idly: “fumbled the receiver into its cradle” (Howard Kaplan)
- To make a mess of; bungle. See synonyms at botch
- To feel or make (one's way) awkwardly.
- Football To drop (a ball) while in play.
- Baseball To mishandle (a ground ball).
noun
- The act or an instance of fumbling.
- Sports A ball that has been fumbled.
derivatives
- fuḿbler
- noun
