Stagger

/ˈstæɡə/ · noun

Meaning

An unsteady movement of the body in walking or standing as if one were about to fall; a reeling motion..

Definitions by Sense

1. An unsteady movement of the body in walking or standing as if one were about to fall; a reeling motion.
2. (veterinary medicine) A disease of horses and other animals, attended by reeling, unsteady gait or sudden falling.
3. Bewilderment; perplexity.
4. The spacing out of various actions over time.
5. (motor racing) The difference in circumference between the left and right tires on a racing vehicle. It is used on oval tracks to make the car turn better in the corners.
6. (aviation) The horizontal positioning of a biplane, triplane, or multiplane's wings in relation to one another.
7. To sway unsteadily, reel, or totter.
8. Doubt, waver, be shocked.

Example Sentences

7 October 2012, Paolo Bandini in The Guardian, Denver Broncos 21 New England Patriots 31 - as it happened Put down the rosary beads folks, I believe hell may just have frozen over. Peyton Manning drops back, sees nothing open and runs for a first down. If you can call that running. More like the stagger of a wounded rhino. Did the job, though

the stagger of a drunken man

Afy slowly gathered in the sense of the words. She gasped twice, as if her breath had gone, and then, with a stagger and a shiver, fell heavily to the ground.

And when old Fezziwig and Mrs. Fezziwig had gone all through the dance; advance and retire; both hands to your partner, bow and courtesy, corkscrew, thread the needle, and back again to your place; Fezziwig "cut"—cut so deftly that he appeared to wink with his legs, and came upon his feet again without a stagger.

parasitic staggers

apoplectic or sleepy staggers

19 April 2016, Rachel Roddy in The Guardian, Rachel Roddy’s Roman spring vegetable stew recipe I don’t include cured pork, although it is very nice, and rather than putting everything in the pan at once I prefer a stagger of ingredients, which ensures each one gets the right amount of time.

Tallinn no longer takes pride in the title of 'favourite destination of British staggers'.

Synonyms for stagger

Antonyms for stagger

Related Words

Word Forms

• staggers
• staggering
• staggered

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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