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   Fal·ter

   /ˈfôltər/

   

   verb

   • 1. start to lose strength or momentum: "her smile faltered and then faded" Similar hesitatedelaydrag one's feetstallthink twiceget cold feetchange one's mindwaveroscillatefluctuatevacillatebe undecidedbe indecisivebe irresolutesee-sawyo-yohaverhum and hawinformal:sit on the fencedilly-dallyshilly-shallypussyfoot aroundblow hot and coldrare:tergiversate
   • ▪ speak in a hesitant or unsteady voice: "“I c-c-can't,” he faltered" Similar stammerstutterstumblespeak haltinglyhesitatepausehaltsplutterflounderblunderfumble
   • ▪ move unsteadily or in a way that shows lack of confidence: "he faltered and finally stopped in midstride"

   Word Origin late Middle English (in the senses ‘stammer’ and ‘stagger’): perhaps from the verb fold1 (which was occasionally used of the faltering of the legs or tongue) + -ter as in totter.

   Derivatives

   • 1. falterer noun

   Scrabble Points: 9

   • F

     4

   • A

     1

   • L

     1

   • T

     1

   • E

     1

   • R

     1

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