1. vi.绊倒　 strike the foot against sth and almost fall
2. vi.蹒跚　 move or walk in an unsteady way
3. vi.（说话，演奏等）出错　 make a mistake or mistakes as one speaks or play music, etc.
4. vi.碰见，发现　 meet or discover by chance

　～ awkwardly　结结巴巴地说
　～ blindly　瞎子似地摇摇晃晃
　～ drunkenly　喝醉酒似地摇摇晃晃
　～ falteringly　支支吾吾地说
　～ inadvertently　疏忽地被绊倒
　～ vacantly　茫然失神地支吾
　～ over　绊了一下脚；结结巴巴地说
　～ through　结结巴巴地说；怯场

　The tired old man stumbled along.　这疲倦的老人蹒跚前行。
　She stumbled around until she was taken home.　她蹒跚地走着，直到有人把她带回家。
　A drunk stumbled past us.　有个醉汉跌跌撞撞地从我们身边走过。

 ♣ stumble across　(v.+prep.)
　碰见，发现　meet or discover by chance
　Guess who I stumbled across?　猜我今天碰到了谁?
　Police investigating tax fraud stumbled across a drugs ring.　警方在调查偷税漏税案件时意外地发现了一个贩毒集团。
 ♣ stumble on〔upon〕　(v.+prep.)
1. 绊了一脚 move awkwardly because of sth in the way; almost fall over sth in one's path
　He stumbled on a stone.　石头绊倒了他。
2. 偶然发现 discover sth by chance
　I stumbled on some letters of yours in a trunk.　我偶然在箱子里发现了一些你的信。
　While in the country, she stumbled upon some fine antiques.　她在乡间的时候偶然发现了一些精美的古董。
　I stumbled upon the answer to the riddle.　我偶然发现了这个谜底。
 ♣ stumble over　(v.+prep.)
1. 绊了一下脚 move awkwardly because of sth in the way; almost fall over sth in one's path
　I stumbled over a tree root.　树根绊了我的脚。
　She stumbled over a stool in the darkened room.　她被黑屋子里的一件工具绊倒了。
2. 结结巴巴地说 speak in a hesitating way, with pauses and mistakes
　After stumbling over the introduction because of his nervousness, he delivered the rest of the speech smoothly.　他由于紧张，导言部分讲得结结巴巴的，但其余的他都讲得很流畅。
　She stumbled over the long word.　她结结巴巴地说那个长词。
　She stumbled briefly over the unfamiliar word but then continued.　她碰到不认识的字愣了一下，接着又往下念。
 ♣ stumble through　(v.+prep.)
　结结巴巴地说；怯场　give a performance in an awkward and unsure manner
　The chairman stumbled through his opening speech as if he were afraid of making a mistake.　主席的开场白讲得结结巴巴的，好像他怕说错了话似的。
　At least Adden never stumbles through a performance, he can always be trusted to sing well.　至少阿顿演出时没怯过场，任何时候都可以相信他能唱好。

 ♣ stumble, blunder, bumble, flounder, trip
　这组词都有“摇摇晃晃地行走”“结结巴巴地说话”“笨拙地做事”的意思。其区别是：stumble指被某物绊倒或拦阻而不能自由行走或照直前进，引申指说话、演奏等出错；blunder指走路、说话或做事时的慌乱、笨拙，引申指因目的不明确或因无知、疏忽而出差错；bumble指极不稳定地前进，引申指更加结结巴巴地说话或出更大的错；flounder指处于不适宜的环境中或迷失道路时，挣扎着前进，引申指思想混乱但仍继续说话或做事；trip指失足跌倒，引申指出现口误或做错事。
 ♣ stumble, reel, stagger
　参见stagger条。

　stumble　还可用作名词，意思是“绊倒， 错误”。