fumble

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++

Related topics: Sport

fum·ble /ˈfʌmbəl/ verb  1  (also fumble around) [intransitive, transitive]HOLD to try to hold, move, or find something with your hands in an awkward way 笨手笨脚地做，胡乱摸找fumble at/in/with She dressed, her cold fingers fumbling with the buttons. 她穿上衣服，冰冷的手指笨拙地扣着纽扣。fumble for I fumbled around in my bag for a cigarette. 我在包里摸香烟。 She reached round to fumble the light on. 她伸手摸索着去开灯。2  [intransitive, transitive]TALK TO somebody if you fumble with your words when you are speaking, you have difficulty saying something 支支吾吾地说话，笨嘴笨舌地说fumble for Asked for an explanation, Mike had fumbled for words. 被要求作出解释时，迈克支支吾吾地找话说。 The second candidate fumbled her lines. 第二个来应试的人念砸了台词。3  [intransitive, transitive]DS to drop a ball after catching it 丢（球），失（球） Quarterback Rattay was hit and fumbled the ball. 四分卫拉蒂被撞了一下，弄丢了球。 →5 see picture at 见图 American football —fumble noun [countable] —fumbling noun [countable]→ See Verb table

Examples from the Corpus

fumble• He fumbled down a wall and pushed open a door.• Although she had sensed that a fiasco like this was inevitable, Amanda fumbled for an appropriate response.• Most churches fumbled their efforts to respond to it.• Even as her hand fumbled to open it, he thrust himself between her and the door, barring her way.fumble at/in/with• In the vestibule, I scanned the column of buzzers while she fumbled in her purse for her keys.• Then he was there, fumbling in his pockets for change.• Whilst Mrs Ledingham fumbled with the border, I confronted him with his folly.• He also fumbled in the end zone to give Seattle a touchdown.• The memory of the towers' electro-sticks back at Mars-U made her fingers fumble at the keys.• He fumbled with the lock which clicked and then he pushed up the lid.• Cursing, Cardiff fumbled at the mechanism but could find no locking-catch.• That is the 49ers' only fumble in two games.Origin fumble (1500-1600) Probably from a Scandinavian language

fum·ble verbChineseSyllable  

Corpus or find to move, something try to hold,

fumble
fum‧ble /ˈfʌmbəl/ verb1. (also fumble around) [intransitive and transitive] to try to hold, move, or find something with your hands in an awkward way
    fumble at/in/with
    She dressed, her cold fingers fumbling with the buttons.
    fumble for
    I fumbled around in my bag for a cigarette.
    She reached round to fumble the light on.
2. [intransitive and transitive] if you fumble with your words when you are speaking, you have difficulty saying something
    fumble for
    Asked for an explanation, Mike had fumbled for words.
    The second candidate fumbled her lines.
3. [intransitive and transitive] to drop a ball after catching it:
    Quarterback Rattay was hit and fumbled the ball.
—fumble noun [countable]
—fumbling noun [countable]