totter
pronunciation
How to pronounce totter in British English:
UK [ˈtɒtə(r)]
How to pronounce totter in American English:
US [ˈtɑtə(r)]
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- Verb:
- move without being stable, as if threatening to fall
- walk unsteadily
- move unsteadily, with a rocking motion
Word Origin
- totter (v.)
- c. 1200, "swing to and fro," of uncertain origin, perhaps from a Scandinavian source (compare dialectal Norwegian totra "to quiver, shake"). Meaning "stand or walk with shaky, unsteady steps" is from c. 1600. Related: Tottered; tottering.
Example
- 1. But kingdoms will not totter .
- 2. How easily , he reminds readers , stable-looking societies can totter .
- 3. Only a few notable firms , such as ospraie management and andor capital , have closed down funds , even as lehman brothers falls and financial giants totter .
- 4. Walk in the rays , the totter miss memorable intimate friend .
- 5. The financial system continued to totter , stocks were plunging , and bad economic news was unabated .