Fumbled

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Fumble \Fum"ble\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Fumbled}; p. pr. & vb. n.
     {Fumbling}.] [Akin to D. fommelen to crumple, fumble, Sw.
     fumla to fusuble, famla to grope, Dan. famle to grope,
     fumble, Icel. falme, AS. folm palm of the hand. See {Feel},
     and cf. {Fanble}, {Palm}.]
     1. To feel or grope about; to make awkward attempts to do or


        find something.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Adams now began to fumble in his pockets.
                                                    --Fielding.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. To grope about in perplexity; to seek awkwardly; as, to
        fumble for an excuse. --Dryden.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              My understanding flutters and my memory fumbles.
                                                    --Chesterfield.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Alas! how he fumbles about the domains.
                                                    --Wordsworth.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. To handle much; to play childishly; to turn over and over.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              I saw him fumble with the sheets, and play with
              flowers.                              --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  19 Moby Thesaurus words for "fumbled":
     botched, bungled, butchered, ill-advised, ill-considered,
     ill-contrived, ill-devised, ill-done, ill-executed, ill-managed,
     impolitic, misconducted, misdirected, misguided, mismanaged,
     muffed, murdered, negligent, spoiled