falterv.¹

Brit.

/ˈfɔːltə/,

/ˈfɒltə/, U.S.

/ˈfɔltər/,

/ˈfɑltər/

Forms: Middle English faltir, 1500s (in Fisher flalter, floghter), folter, 1500s–1800s faulter, (1600s foulter), 1600s felter, Middle English– falter.

Etymology: Of obscure etymology. The current view, which connects the word with fault , is untenable, on the ground that falter has always been written with the l , and is so pronounced in the dialects in which it occurs, whereas in fault the l is an etymologizing insertion, which rarely occurs in spelling before 16th cent., and was not pronounced, even by educated speakers, till much later. (But it is not unlikely that association with fault may have coloured the recent use of the word.) It seems possible that sense 1, ‘to stumble’, may have been developed from the sense ‘to be entangled’ (falter v.²). On the other hand it is noteworthy that Middle English falde-n , fold v.¹ is used of the limbs and the tongue in the sense ‘to give way, fail, falter’; perhaps falter may be a frequentative of fald-en, formed irregularly through the influence of approximately synonymous verbs like balter, totter, welter.

a. Of a person or his steps; also of a horse: To stumble, stagger; to walk with an unsteady gait.

ΘΚΠ

the world > movement > progressive motion > walking > walk, tread, or step [verb (intransitive)] > unsteadily

wiggle?c1225

walter1399

falterc1400

stammerc1400

dotterc1475

stavera1500

stumblea1500

reel1529

scamblec1571

halper1596

totter1602

folder1607

wamble1611

to make a Virginia fence1671

wandle1686

fribble1709

rock1718

stoit1719

stoiter1724

swagger1724

doddle1761

stotter1781

toit1786

doiter1793

stot1801

dodder1819

twaddle1823

teeter1844

shoggle1884

welter1884

warple1887

whemmel1895

c1400 (?c1390) Sir Gawain & Green Knight (1940) l. 430 Nawþer faltered ne fel þe freke..Bot styþly he start forth vpon styf schonkes.

c1485 Digby Myst. (1882) iii. 280 In feyntnes I falter.

1561 T. Norton tr. J. Calvin Inst. Christian Relig. (1634) ii. vii. 159 Hee beginneth..to shake and folter.

1603 R. Knolles Gen. Hist. Turkes 87 Which [mare] now suddainely faultring vnder him.

1639 T. de Gray Compl. Horseman i. v. 30 If you doe perceive him to felter with any of his feet.

1781 W. Cowper Truth 537 Faltering, faint and slow.

1795 T. Jefferson Writings (1859) IV. 119 I have laid up my Rosinante in his stall, before his unfitness for the road shall expose him faultering to the world.

1821 Ld. Byron Sardanapalus v. i. 144 The dispirited troops..had seen you fall, and falter'd back.

1878 in G. P. Lathrop Masque of Poets 35 Thou guidest steps that falter on alone.

b. Of the limbs: To give way, totter.

ΘΚΠ

the world > health and disease > ill health > be in ill health [verb (intransitive)] > be weak > become weak > of parts

falterc1386

flakec1500

fall1615

the world > movement > motion in specific manner > irregular movement or agitation > unsteady movement > move unsteadily [verb (intransitive)] > totter

shake1297

waive1338

wagc1340

falterc1386

waverc1440

branglea1522

totterc1522

wave1538

swerve1573

nod1582

tittera1618

cockle1634

labascate1727

teeter1904

oversway1994

c1386 G. Chaucer Man of Law's Tale 674 O messager, fulfild of dronkenesse, Strong is thy breth, thy lymes faltren ay.

1447 O. Bokenham Lyvys Seyntys (1835) 179 Hys leggys to faltryn gunne sodeynly.

1531 T. Elyot Bk. named Gouernour i. xvii. sig. Ji Where the water hath..come to his [the horse's] bely, his legges hath foltred.

1672 R. Wiseman Treat. Wounds i. ix. 120 He felt his legs faulter.

1797 A. Radcliffe Italian I. i. 3 In descending the last steps..the foot of the elder lady faltered.

c. Of the tongue: To fail to articulate distinctly; to speak unsteadily (see 2).

ΘΚΠ

the mind > language > speech > defective or inarticulate speech > speak inarticulately or with a defect [verb (intransitive)]

misspeakc1225

faltera1533

clutter1654

a1533 Ld. Berners tr. A. de Guevara Golden Bk. M. Aurelius (1539) xlviii. 93 a His tonge faultred, and his handes shoke.

a1535 Bp. J. Fisher Wks. (1876) I. 356 Thy tongue flaltereth in thy mouth.

1671 R. Bohun Disc. Wind 148 Wee find the tongue more apt to falter.

a. To stumble in one's speech; to speak hesitatingly or incoherently; to stammer. Of the voice, speech, etc.: To come forth incoherently.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > language > speech > defective or inarticulate speech > speak inarticulately or with a defect [verb (intransitive)] > stammer or speak hesitantly

stammerc1000

wlaffe1025

stotec1325

humc1374

mafflea1387

stut1388

rattlea1398

famble14..

mammera1425

drotec1440

falterc1440

stackerc1440

hem1470

wallowa1475

tattle1481

mant1506

happer1519

trip1526

hobblea1529

hack1553

stagger1565

faffle1570

stutter1570

hem and hawk1588

ha1604

hammer1619

titubate1623

haw1632

fork1652

hacker1652

lispc1680

hesitate1706

balbutiate1731

haffle1790

hotter1828

stutter1831

ah1853

catch1889

c1440 Promptorium Parvulorum 148 Faltryn yn þe tunge, cespito, vel lingua cespitare.

1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 544/1 I falter in my speakyng, as one dothe that is dronken. Je baboye.

1565 A. Golding tr. Ovid Fyrst Fower Bks. Metamorphosis iii. f. 5 Shee foltred in the mouth as often as shee spake.

1602 J. Marston Antonios Reuenge iv. iii. sig. H^v Her speach falters.

1672 A. Marvell Rehearsal Transpros'd i. 114 He..faulters in this discourse.

1768 H. Walpole Hist. Doubts 92 He did not faulter, nor could be detected in his tale?

1791 A. Radcliffe Romance of Forest I. vi. 220 The words of welcome faultered on his lips.

1804 J. Grahame Sabbath 687 His voice soon faltering stops.

1821 F. D. Hemans Dartmoor 18 When holy strains..falter on its tongue.

1859 Ld. Tennyson Guinevere in Idylls of King 241 Even in the middle of his song He falter'd.

b. transitive; with quoted words as object.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > language > speech > defective or inarticulate speech > utter inarticulately [verb (transitive)] > utter hesitantly or stammer

hem1553

mant1568

stammer1587

to hack out1602

stammer1608

fribblea1627

lisp1627

stutter1655

hesitate1734

to falter forth or out1762

hobble1813

falter1851

1851 Ld. Tennyson Gardener's Daughter (rev. ed.) in Poems (ed. 7) 209 She..Made me most happy, faltering, ‘I am thine’.

1884 D. Pae Eustace 69 ‘Why would you have Ralph discharged?’ she faltered.

c. to falter forth or out: to utter hesitatingly or with difficulty; to stammer forth. Also (poetic), To breathe out (the soul) by gasps.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > language > speech > defective or inarticulate speech > utter inarticulately [verb (transitive)] > utter hesitantly or stammer

hem1553

mant1568

stammer1587

to hack out1602

stammer1608

fribblea1627

lisp1627

stutter1655

hesitate1734

to falter forth or out1762

hobble1813

falter1851

the world > life > death > [verb (intransitive)] > be dying

to have one foot in the (also his, etc.) grave?1483

to draw on1484

to gasp up the ghost1577

gore1577

to turn one's face to the wall1579

to gasp one's last1603

groan1642

not to be long for this world1665

strugglea1674

to falter forth or out1814

to sprawl one's last1837

1762 Gentleman's Mag. (1806) Feb. 73/1 I faultered out my acknowledgments.

1814 Ld. Byron Corsair i. i. 2 While gasp by gasp he faulters forth his soul.

1855 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. IV. 532 She..faltered out her commands that he would sit down.

1868 H. H. Milman Ann. St. Paul's Cathedral 305 The Dean faltered out that he meant no harm.

a. To waver, lose steadfastness; to flinch, hesitate in action from lack of courage or resolution. Also of courage, hopes, resolve: To give way, flag.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > will > decision > irresolution or vacillation > be irresolute or vacillate [verb (intransitive)] > waver

flecchec1300

waverc1315

remue1340

shake1340

flitc1386

flow1434

falter1521

flitter1543

to waver as, like, with the wind1548

rove1549

float1598

jarga1614

give ground1662

weaken1876

unbend1877

the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > become less violent or severe [verb (intransitive)] > become weak

littleOE

faintc1450

weaken?1541

quail1557

quell1579

faltera1677

1521 Bp. J. Fisher Wks. (1876) I. 313 That we floghter not in the catholike doctryne.

a1568 R. Ascham Scholemaster (1570) ii. f. 51^v The hier they flie, the sooner they falter and faill.

a1677 I. Barrow Serm. Several Occasions (1678) 44 All other Principles..will soon be shaken and faulter.

1697 W. Dampier New Voy. around World i. 2 If any man faultred in the Journey over Land he must expect to be shot to death.

1752 D. Hume Ess. & Treat. (1777) II. 452 It made them faulter and hesitate.

1801 M. Edgeworth Forester in Moral Tales I. 122 His hopes..began to falter.

1817 J. Mill Hist. Brit. India II. iv. v. 168 A part of the army faultered considerably.

1859 Ld. Tennyson Enid in Idylls of King 72 Nor let her true hand falter, nor blue eye Moisten, till she had lighted on his wound.

a1864 I. Taylor in Webster's Internat. Dict. Eng. Lang. (1890) Here..the power of distinct conception of space and distance falters.

1872 M. E. Braddon To Bitter End I. xvii. 291 The girl's spirits did not falter.

1874 J. R. Green Short Hist. Eng. People ii. §4. 77 The citizens..faltered as William..gave Southwark to the flames.

†b. To fail in strength, collapse. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > health and disease > ill health > be in ill health [verb (intransitive)] > be weak > become weak

of-fall?a1200

fail?c1225

wastea1300

languisha1325

defail1340

languora1375

defaulta1382

wastea1387

faintc1450

mortifyc1475

hink?a1500

traik?a1513

droopc1540

unquick1595

macerate1598

dodder1617

lachanize1623

smartle1673

break1726

go1748

sink1780

wilt1787

falter1799

weaken1886

to go down1892

to go out of curl1924

1799 Med. & Physical Jrnl. 1 18 Until the patient in a close room faulters and sinks.

1888 F. T. Elworthy W. Somerset Word-bk. Faltery, to show signs of old age; to break up in constitution.]

c. transferred. Of inanimate things: To move as if irresolutely or hesitatingly; to tremble, quiver. Also of a breeze: To flag.The later examples are all from U.S. writers.

ΘΚΠ

the world > the earth > weather and the atmosphere > weather > wind > blow (of the wind) [verb (intransitive)] > blow gently > drop or become light

scantle1627

dull1633

falter1745

slump1855

the world > movement > rate of motion > slowness > move or go slowly [verb (intransitive)] > as if irresolutely

falter1810

hesitate1908

1745 P. Thomas True Jrnl. Voy. South-Seas 152 Trade Wind blows..within 60 or 70 Leagues of the Mexican Shore, where they say it sometimes falters, but oftner reaches to within 30 Leagues.

1810 W. Scott Lady of Lake ii. 65 My dull ears catch no faultering breeze.

1832 W. Irving Alhambra II. 240 He..began to nod, and his staff to falter in his hand.

1848 J. R. Lowell Indian Summer Reverie i When falling leaves falter through motionless air.

1874 J. L. Motley Life John of Barneveld II. xvii. 227 The ancient Rhine as it falters languidly to the sea.

d. dialect. Of a crop: To fail.

ΚΠ

1863 Dorset Gloss. (at cited word) ‘I be a-feärd the teäties will falter.’

Derivatives

ˈfaltered adj.

ΚΠ

1706 Earl Belhaven Speech in Sc. Parl. 5 Are our Eyes so Blinded? Are our Ears so Deafned? Are our Tongues so Faltered?

a1800 T. Bellamy Beggar Boy (1801) III. 42 In a voice, faltered by surprize..he eagerly demanded their business.

ˈfaltering n.

ΚΠ

1614 G. Markham Cheape & Good Husb. (1623) 65 The signes are a foltering in his fore legges.

1621 M. Wroth Countesse of Mountgomeries Urania 172 Some thing made those faultrings in my talke.

1722 W. Sewel Hist. Quakers (1795) I. iv. 290 He..hath long watched for my faultering.

1823 C. Lamb Imperfect Sympathies in Elia 137 He has no falterings of self-suspicion.

1871 Standard 23 Jan. There were occasional natural falterings.

This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1894; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

单词	falter
释义	faltern. Brit. /ˈfɔːltə/, /ˈfɒltə/, U.S. /ˈfɔltər/, /ˈfɑltər/ Etymology: < falter v.¹ a. A faltering or quavering, unsteadiness. ΘΚΠ the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > voice or vocal sound > quality of voice > [noun] > tremulous quality trilla1704 quaver1748 tremble1779 tremor1797 falter1834 shake1859 1834 Countess Morley Dacre I. xi. 233 With a slight falter in her voice. 1880 ‘Mrs. Forrester’ Roy & Viola I. 74 She fancied she heard a falter in Viola's tones. b. A faltering or quavering sound. ΘΚΠ the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > continuous or protracted sound > vibratory sound > [noun] > quavering sound falter1844 1844 J. R. Lowell Poems 121 Far away..The falter of an idle shepherd's pipe. This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1894; most recently modified version published online March 2022). falterv.¹ Brit. /ˈfɔːltə/, /ˈfɒltə/, U.S. /ˈfɔltər/, /ˈfɑltər/ Forms: Middle English faltir, 1500s (in Fisher flalter, floghter), folter, 1500s–1800s faulter, (1600s foulter), 1600s felter, Middle English– falter. Etymology: Of obscure etymology. The current view, which connects the word with fault , is untenable, on the ground that falter has always been written with the l , and is so pronounced in the dialects in which it occurs, whereas in fault the l is an etymologizing insertion, which rarely occurs in spelling before 16th cent., and was not pronounced, even by educated speakers, till much later. (But it is not unlikely that association with fault may have coloured the recent use of the word.) It seems possible that sense 1, ‘to stumble’, may have been developed from the sense ‘to be entangled’ (falter v.²). On the other hand it is noteworthy that Middle English falde-n , fold v.¹ is used of the limbs and the tongue in the sense ‘to give way, fail, falter’; perhaps falter may be a frequentative of fald-en, formed irregularly through the influence of approximately synonymous verbs like balter, totter, welter. 1. a. Of a person or his steps; also of a horse: To stumble, stagger; to walk with an unsteady gait. ΘΚΠ the world > movement > progressive motion > walking > walk, tread, or step [verb (intransitive)] > unsteadily wiggle?c1225 walter1399 falterc1400 stammerc1400 dotterc1475 stavera1500 stumblea1500 reel1529 scamblec1571 halper1596 totter1602 folder1607 wamble1611 to make a Virginia fence1671 wandle1686 fribble1709 rock1718 stoit1719 stoiter1724 swagger1724 doddle1761 stotter1781 toit1786 doiter1793 stot1801 dodder1819 twaddle1823 teeter1844 shoggle1884 welter1884 warple1887 whemmel1895 c1400 (?c1390) Sir Gawain & Green Knight (1940) l. 430 Nawþer faltered ne fel þe freke..Bot styþly he start forth vpon styf schonkes. c1485 Digby Myst. (1882) iii. 280 In feyntnes I falter. 1561 T. Norton tr. J. Calvin Inst. Christian Relig. (1634) ii. vii. 159 Hee beginneth..to shake and folter. 1603 R. Knolles Gen. Hist. Turkes 87 Which [mare] now suddainely faultring vnder him. 1639 T. de Gray Compl. Horseman i. v. 30 If you doe perceive him to felter with any of his feet. 1781 W. Cowper Truth 537 Faltering, faint and slow. 1795 T. Jefferson Writings (1859) IV. 119 I have laid up my Rosinante in his stall, before his unfitness for the road shall expose him faultering to the world. 1821 Ld. Byron Sardanapalus v. i. 144 The dispirited troops..had seen you fall, and falter'd back. 1878 in G. P. Lathrop Masque of Poets 35 Thou guidest steps that falter on alone. b. Of the limbs: To give way, totter. ΘΚΠ the world > health and disease > ill health > be in ill health [verb (intransitive)] > be weak > become weak > of parts falterc1386 flakec1500 fall1615 the world > movement > motion in specific manner > irregular movement or agitation > unsteady movement > move unsteadily [verb (intransitive)] > totter shake1297 waive1338 wagc1340 falterc1386 waverc1440 branglea1522 totterc1522 wave1538 swerve1573 nod1582 tittera1618 cockle1634 labascate1727 teeter1904 oversway1994 c1386 G. Chaucer Man of Law's Tale 674 O messager, fulfild of dronkenesse, Strong is thy breth, thy lymes faltren ay. 1447 O. Bokenham Lyvys Seyntys (1835) 179 Hys leggys to faltryn gunne sodeynly. 1531 T. Elyot Bk. named Gouernour i. xvii. sig. Ji Where the water hath..come to his [the horse's] bely, his legges hath foltred. 1672 R. Wiseman Treat. Wounds i. ix. 120 He felt his legs faulter. 1797 A. Radcliffe Italian I. i. 3 In descending the last steps..the foot of the elder lady faltered. c. Of the tongue: To fail to articulate distinctly; to speak unsteadily (see 2). ΘΚΠ the mind > language > speech > defective or inarticulate speech > speak inarticulately or with a defect [verb (intransitive)] misspeakc1225 faltera1533 clutter1654 a1533 Ld. Berners tr. A. de Guevara Golden Bk. M. Aurelius (1539) xlviii. 93 a His tonge faultred, and his handes shoke. a1535 Bp. J. Fisher Wks. (1876) I. 356 Thy tongue flaltereth in thy mouth. 1671 R. Bohun Disc. Wind 148 Wee find the tongue more apt to falter. 2. a. To stumble in one's speech; to speak hesitatingly or incoherently; to stammer. Of the voice, speech, etc.: To come forth incoherently. ΘΚΠ the mind > language > speech > defective or inarticulate speech > speak inarticulately or with a defect [verb (intransitive)] > stammer or speak hesitantly stammerc1000 wlaffe1025 stotec1325 humc1374 mafflea1387 stut1388 rattlea1398 famble14.. mammera1425 drotec1440 falterc1440 stackerc1440 hem1470 wallowa1475 tattle1481 mant1506 happer1519 trip1526 hobblea1529 hack1553 stagger1565 faffle1570 stutter1570 hem and hawk1588 ha1604 hammer1619 titubate1623 haw1632 fork1652 hacker1652 lispc1680 hesitate1706 balbutiate1731 haffle1790 hotter1828 stutter1831 ah1853 catch1889 c1440 Promptorium Parvulorum 148 Faltryn yn þe tunge, cespito, vel lingua cespitare. 1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 544/1 I falter in my speakyng, as one dothe that is dronken. Je baboye. 1565 A. Golding tr. Ovid Fyrst Fower Bks. Metamorphosis iii. f. 5 Shee foltred in the mouth as often as shee spake. 1602 J. Marston Antonios Reuenge iv. iii. sig. H^v Her speach falters. 1672 A. Marvell Rehearsal Transpros'd i. 114 He..faulters in this discourse. 1768 H. Walpole Hist. Doubts 92 He did not faulter, nor could be detected in his tale? 1791 A. Radcliffe Romance of Forest I. vi. 220 The words of welcome faultered on his lips. 1804 J. Grahame Sabbath 687 His voice soon faltering stops. 1821 F. D. Hemans Dartmoor 18 When holy strains..falter on its tongue. 1859 Ld. Tennyson Guinevere in Idylls of King 241 Even in the middle of his song He falter'd. b. transitive; with quoted words as object. ΘΚΠ the mind > language > speech > defective or inarticulate speech > utter inarticulately [verb (transitive)] > utter hesitantly or stammer hem1553 mant1568 stammer1587 to hack out1602 stammer1608 fribblea1627 lisp1627 stutter1655 hesitate1734 to falter forth or out1762 hobble1813 falter1851 1851 Ld. Tennyson Gardener's Daughter (rev. ed.) in Poems (ed. 7) 209 She..Made me most happy, faltering, ‘I am thine’. 1884 D. Pae Eustace 69 ‘Why would you have Ralph discharged?’ she faltered. c. to falter forth or out: to utter hesitatingly or with difficulty; to stammer forth. Also (poetic), To breathe out (the soul) by gasps. ΘΚΠ the mind > language > speech > defective or inarticulate speech > utter inarticulately [verb (transitive)] > utter hesitantly or stammer hem1553 mant1568 stammer1587 to hack out1602 stammer1608 fribblea1627 lisp1627 stutter1655 hesitate1734 to falter forth or out1762 hobble1813 falter1851 the world > life > death > [verb (intransitive)] > be dying to have one foot in the (also his, etc.) grave?1483 to draw on1484 to gasp up the ghost1577 gore1577 to turn one's face to the wall1579 to gasp one's last1603 groan1642 not to be long for this world1665 strugglea1674 to falter forth or out1814 to sprawl one's last1837 1762 Gentleman's Mag. (1806) Feb. 73/1 I faultered out my acknowledgments. 1814 Ld. Byron Corsair i. i. 2 While gasp by gasp he faulters forth his soul. 1855 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. IV. 532 She..faltered out her commands that he would sit down. 1868 H. H. Milman Ann. St. Paul's Cathedral 305 The Dean faltered out that he meant no harm. 3. a. To waver, lose steadfastness; to flinch, hesitate in action from lack of courage or resolution. Also of courage, hopes, resolve: To give way, flag. ΘΚΠ the mind > will > decision > irresolution or vacillation > be irresolute or vacillate [verb (intransitive)] > waver flecchec1300 waverc1315 remue1340 shake1340 flitc1386 flow1434 falter1521 flitter1543 to waver as, like, with the wind1548 rove1549 float1598 jarga1614 give ground1662 weaken1876 unbend1877 the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > become less violent or severe [verb (intransitive)] > become weak littleOE faintc1450 weaken?1541 quail1557 quell1579 faltera1677 1521 Bp. J. Fisher Wks. (1876) I. 313 That we floghter not in the catholike doctryne. a1568 R. Ascham Scholemaster (1570) ii. f. 51^v The hier they flie, the sooner they falter and faill. a1677 I. Barrow Serm. Several Occasions (1678) 44 All other Principles..will soon be shaken and faulter. 1697 W. Dampier New Voy. around World i. 2 If any man faultred in the Journey over Land he must expect to be shot to death. 1752 D. Hume Ess. & Treat. (1777) II. 452 It made them faulter and hesitate. 1801 M. Edgeworth Forester in Moral Tales I. 122 His hopes..began to falter. 1817 J. Mill Hist. Brit. India II. iv. v. 168 A part of the army faultered considerably. 1859 Ld. Tennyson Enid in Idylls of King 72 Nor let her true hand falter, nor blue eye Moisten, till she had lighted on his wound. a1864 I. Taylor in Webster's Internat. Dict. Eng. Lang. (1890) Here..the power of distinct conception of space and distance falters. 1872 M. E. Braddon To Bitter End I. xvii. 291 The girl's spirits did not falter. 1874 J. R. Green Short Hist. Eng. People ii. §4. 77 The citizens..faltered as William..gave Southwark to the flames. †b. To fail in strength, collapse. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > health and disease > ill health > be in ill health [verb (intransitive)] > be weak > become weak of-fall?a1200 fail?c1225 wastea1300 languisha1325 defail1340 languora1375 defaulta1382 wastea1387 faintc1450 mortifyc1475 hink?a1500 traik?a1513 droopc1540 unquick1595 macerate1598 dodder1617 lachanize1623 smartle1673 break1726 go1748 sink1780 wilt1787 falter1799 weaken1886 to go down1892 to go out of curl1924 1799 Med. & Physical Jrnl. 1 18 Until the patient in a close room faulters and sinks. 1888 F. T. Elworthy W. Somerset Word-bk. Faltery, to show signs of old age; to break up in constitution.] c. transferred. Of inanimate things: To move as if irresolutely or hesitatingly; to tremble, quiver. Also of a breeze: To flag.The later examples are all from U.S. writers. ΘΚΠ the world > the earth > weather and the atmosphere > weather > wind > blow (of the wind) [verb (intransitive)] > blow gently > drop or become light scantle1627 dull1633 falter1745 slump1855 the world > movement > rate of motion > slowness > move or go slowly [verb (intransitive)] > as if irresolutely falter1810 hesitate1908 1745 P. Thomas True Jrnl. Voy. South-Seas 152 Trade Wind blows..within 60 or 70 Leagues of the Mexican Shore, where they say it sometimes falters, but oftner reaches to within 30 Leagues. 1810 W. Scott Lady of Lake ii. 65 My dull ears catch no faultering breeze. 1832 W. Irving Alhambra II. 240 He..began to nod, and his staff to falter in his hand. 1848 J. R. Lowell Indian Summer Reverie i When falling leaves falter through motionless air. 1874 J. L. Motley Life John of Barneveld II. xvii. 227 The ancient Rhine as it falters languidly to the sea. d. dialect. Of a crop: To fail. ΚΠ 1863 Dorset Gloss. (at cited word) ‘I be a-feärd the teäties will falter.’ Derivatives ˈfaltered adj. ΚΠ 1706 Earl Belhaven Speech in Sc. Parl. 5 Are our Eyes so Blinded? Are our Ears so Deafned? Are our Tongues so Faltered? a1800 T. Bellamy Beggar Boy (1801) III. 42 In a voice, faltered by surprize..he eagerly demanded their business. ˈfaltering n. ΚΠ 1614 G. Markham Cheape & Good Husb. (1623) 65 The signes are a foltering in his fore legges. 1621 M. Wroth Countesse of Mountgomeries Urania 172 Some thing made those faultrings in my talke. 1722 W. Sewel Hist. Quakers (1795) I. iv. 290 He..hath long watched for my faultering. 1823 C. Lamb Imperfect Sympathies in Elia 137 He has no falterings of self-suspicion. 1871 Standard 23 Jan. There were occasional natural falterings. This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1894; most recently modified version published online March 2022). † falterv.² Etymology: perhaps variant of felter v., to be felted, matted, < Old French feltre, faultre felt. But compare Old Icelandic faltra-sk ‘to be cumbered, faltra-sk viđ e- t. to be puzzled about a thing’ (Vigfusson). Obsolete. rare. intransitive. To become entangled, catch. ΚΠ ?c1450 Life St. Cuthbert (1891) l. 6038 Þe whele faltird in his clathes Þat ware lange and syde. This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1894; most recently modified version published online December 2021). falterv.³ Brit. /ˈfɔːltə/, /ˈfɒltə/, U.S. /ˈfɔltər/, /ˈfɑltər/ Forms: Also 1600s faulter, foulter, 1800s dialect faughter, fauther. Etymology: ? < Old French faltrer (recorded form fautrer) to strike, beat. transitive. To thrash (corn) a second time in order to cleanse it and get rid of the awn or beard, etc.; hence, to cleanse. ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > food > food manufacture and preparation > preparation of grain > [verb (transitive)] > clean grain dress1552 spelt1570 falter1601 geld1601 evaginate1661 third1683 rough1799 1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World* I. xviii. x They haue much ado..to thresh it cleane and falter it from the huls and eiles. 1652 W. Blith Eng. Improver Improved xxvi. 182 Then foulter and beat the husk again. 1681 J. Houghton Coll. Lett. Improvem. Husb. 64 In choosing Barly..the Malster looks that it be..clean faltered from haines. 1788 W. Marshall Provincialisms E. Yorks. in Rural Econ. Yorks. II. 328 Falter, to thrash barley in the chaff, in order to break off the awns. 1876 F. K. Robinson Gloss. Words Whitby Derivatives ˈfaltering n. (in combinations). ΚΠ 1847–78 J. O. Halliwell Dict. Archaic & Provinc. Words Faltering-irons. 1869 J. C. Atkinson Peacock's Gloss. Dial. Hundred of Lonsdale Faughtering-iron, an iron used to knock off the beards of barley when thrashed. This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1894; most recently modified version published online March 2022). < n.1834v.¹c1386v.²?c1450v.³1601
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faltern.

falterv.1

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† falterv.2

falterv.3

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falterv.¹

† falterv.²

falterv.³