to stumble over one's words
1
5.6
- idiom
- Informal
:
tartamudear
- I stumbled over my words and asked her why she needed to know.
- stumbled over his words, then
Examples
-
I stumbled over my words but managed to get out my blog name and how she's inspired me to write about depression.
Blog text (19) -
His father was pleading with her; he stumbled over his words.
Fiction book (1997) -
I was always afraid to read in class out loud because I would stumble over my words.
Blog text (3) -
"I stumbled over my words, then finally got out a sentence.
Fiction book (1995) -
I have a thought about why the cop was stumbling over his words; it might have to do with the fact that Holder is a public figure who trained in the art of debate.
Blog text (28) -
And she kept stumbling over her words, saying shit like, [imitating woman]
-
"Melinda seemed quite self-possessed until she turned to Lisbeth and started stumbling over her words."
Fiction book (1991) -
But he'd stumble over his words, and then he'd change the subject, his face lobster red.
Fiction book (1993) -
"I... I..." Now it was his turn to stumble over his words, not daring to admit that he was scheduled to meet the playwright behind the theater after the performance.
Fiction book (2002) -
During the presentation, she began to stumble over her words as anxiety set in.
Synonyms
318
2.5
To pause before saying or doing something because you feel unsure
57
4.9
To speak with difficulty by repeating sounds or pausing often
48
3.0
To hesitate or make a small mistake when speaking
26
4.8
To speak with short pauses and repeated sounds that make words hard to understand
18
5.4
To move in a clumsy, confused way
4
7.5
To speak in short, broken sounds when angry or shocked
4
5.4
To speak in a weak, broken voice because of strong feeling
3
8.4
To speak slowly and pause instead of answering clearly because you feel unsure
2
6.8
To make an embarrassing mistake because you are careless or nervous
1
7.4
Say something with great difficulty because you feel upset or nervous
1
7.8
To stop speaking because you feel nervous, embarrassed, or upset
Forget your lines or say them wrong during a performance
Antonyms
How Hesitant
- Specialized
17
4.1
- Informal
1
5.6
4
5.4
318
2.5
346
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The verb 'stumble' (to falter) combined with 'over one's words' maps a physical failing onto speaking, so a learner who knows the constituents can infer a general meaning of hesitating or making mistakes while speaking. However, the phrase is a metaphorical extension (physical stumble → speech falter) and the pragmatic nuance (nervousness, hesitation) is not fully predictable from the parts, so it is only partially transparent.
Etymology
Stumble over one's words comes from the image of tripping while walking: your mouth seems to stumble or 'trip' on the words, stopping your flow like a foot on a stone. So the phrase now means 'to make mistakes or hesitate while speaking', often because of 'nervousness' or 'uncertainty'.