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stagger
[ stag-er ]
verb (used without object)
- to walk, move, or stand unsteadily.
- to falter or begin to give way, as in an argument or fight.
- to waver or begin to doubt, as in purpose or opinion; hesitate:
After staggering momentarily, he recognized that he had to make a decision.
Synonyms: vacillate
verb (used with object)
- to cause to reel, totter, or become unsteady:
This load would stagger an elephant.
- to shock; render helpless with amazement or the like; astonish:
The vastness of outer space staggers the mind.
- to cause to waver or falter:
The news staggered her belief in the triumph of justice.
- to arrange in a zigzag order or manner on either side of a center:
The captain staggered the troops along the road.
- to arrange otherwise than at the same time, especially in a series of alternating or continually overlapping intervals:
They planned to stagger lunch hours so that the cafeteria would not be rushed.
- Aeronautics. to arrange (the wings of a biplane or the like) so that the entering edge of an upper wing is either in advance of or behind that of a corresponding lower wing.
noun
- the act of staggering; a reeling or tottering movement or motion.
- a staggered order or arrangement.
- Aeronautics.
- a staggered arrangement of wings.
- the amount of staggering.
- staggers. (used with a singular verb) Veterinary Pathology.
- Also called blind staggers. acute selenium poisoning of livestock characterized by a staggering gait usually followed by respiratory failure and death.
- a condition of unknown cause, occurring in pregnant sheep, cattle, and other animals during or just following extended transport, characterized by a staggering gait and progressive paralysis.
stagger
/ ˈstæɡə /
verb
- usually intr to walk or cause to walk unsteadily as if about to fall
- tr to astound or overwhelm, as with shock
I am staggered by his ruthlessness
- tr to place or arrange in alternating or overlapping positions or time periods to prevent confusion or congestion
to stagger holidays
a staggered junction
- intr to falter or hesitate
his courage staggered in the face of the battle
- tr to set (the wings of a biplane) so that the leading edge of one extends beyond that of the other
noun
- the act or an instance of staggering
- a staggered arrangement on a biplane, etc
Derived Forms
- ˈstaggerer, noun
Other Words From
- stag·ger·er noun
- out·stag·ger verb (used with object)
Word History and Origins
Origin of stagger1
Word History and Origins
Origin of stagger1
Synonym Study
Example Sentences
Can SNL stagger on with Seth Meyers of Weekend Update halfway out the door, too?
A miner puts his head down and runs, with a long swinging stride, through places where I can only stagger.
Unless we stagger the hours of medical service provision, all those people will end up in the emergency room.
His cheeks bright red, his chin wet with spittle, the helot would weave and stagger and totter until he passed out in the dirt.
The campaign will now stagger through the February doldrums.
It was the 'Æneid,' and I began at your bookmark and tried to stagger through a page, but it floored me.
The sharper was one of those men who pull themselves together in a bad cause, as they stagger from the blow.
A cry of joy burst from his lips, and he managed to stagger to his feet.
The kneeling figure sprang to his feet with a fierce stagger.
He made several trips, the last of which was to stagger under a huge burden of spruce boughs.
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