stutter step
noun
: a momentary hesitation or false step by a runner (as in football) done to fake a defender out of position
stutter-step
ˈstə-tər-ˌstep 
verb 
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Sooners coach Lincoln Riley dialed up a zone read call for Williams, who after a bit of a stutter step, charged into the end zone for a touchdown to tie the game at 14. 
Ryan Aber, USA TODAY, 4 Sep. 2021 The extra half was a stutter step that landed me perfectly on the mark. Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, 27 June 2021 Pederson once again did a stutter step at third base to celebrate homering off Seth Elledge in the fourth, a move he's copied from Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. Sarah Trotto, Star Tribune, 12 June 2021 In 1985, Mueller wrote a detailed 440-page study of every Astaire move seen in his films from 1933 to 1968, every swoop, tap dance or stutter step. Washington Post, 2 Apr. 2021 At the same time, the online MAGA world’s stutter step in this moment illustrates just how flexible reality can appear online, particularly in the thick of a breaking news event. Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 8 Jan. 2021 However, Lamb seamlessly adjusted on the fly, using a quick stutter step to get Jacquet even more committed outside, which enabled Lamb to create easy separation on the rail route up the sideline. John Owning, Dallas News, 28 Dec. 2020 Critics of the move pointed to Morris’ stutter step before stepping on Doncic and his lack of reaction to the misstep as proof of his intention. Callie Caplan, Dallas News, 26 Aug. 2020 Some of his weaknesses include tracking down the pass direction of deep-ball plays, contested catches for extra yardage and using too many stutter steps that deter him from running upfield.5. Dana Scott, azcentral, 23 Apr. 2020 See More
Ryan Aber, USA TODAY, 4 Sep. 2021 The extra half was a stutter step that landed me perfectly on the mark. Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, 27 June 2021 Pederson once again did a stutter step at third base to celebrate homering off Seth Elledge in the fourth, a move he's copied from Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. Sarah Trotto, Star Tribune, 12 June 2021 In 1985, Mueller wrote a detailed 440-page study of every Astaire move seen in his films from 1933 to 1968, every swoop, tap dance or stutter step. Washington Post, 2 Apr. 2021 At the same time, the online MAGA world’s stutter step in this moment illustrates just how flexible reality can appear online, particularly in the thick of a breaking news event. Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 8 Jan. 2021 However, Lamb seamlessly adjusted on the fly, using a quick stutter step to get Jacquet even more committed outside, which enabled Lamb to create easy separation on the rail route up the sideline. John Owning, Dallas News, 28 Dec. 2020 Critics of the move pointed to Morris’ stutter step before stepping on Doncic and his lack of reaction to the misstep as proof of his intention. Callie Caplan, Dallas News, 26 Aug. 2020 Some of his weaknesses include tracking down the pass direction of deep-ball plays, contested catches for extra yardage and using too many stutter steps that deter him from running upfield.5. Dana Scott, azcentral, 23 Apr. 2020 See More Word History
First Known Use
1966, in the meaning defined above