Basic Details
Word: Stumble
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: To trip while walking or running, causing a loss of balance.
Synonyms: Trip, falter, stumble upon
Antonyms: Steady, glide, proceed
Idioms and Phrases
- Stumble upon: To find or discover something by accident. Example: "I stumbled upon an old book in the library that was very interesting."
- Stumbling block: An obstacle that makes it difficult to achieve something. Example: "Lack of time was a stumbling block in completing the project."
Usage Examples
Example 1: As she walked through the park, she stumbled on a small rock and nearly fell.
Example 2: He didn't mean to stumble while giving his speech; he just got nervous.
Example 3: The children often stumble upon exciting discoveries during their nature walks.
Fun Fact
The word "stumble" comes from the Old English word "stumbian," which means to support or to fall. It has been in use for many centuries!
Famous Quote
"Our greatest glory is not in never stumbling, but in rising every time we do." Confucius
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. What does "stumble" mean?
a) To walk smoothly
b) To trip and lose balance
c) To run quickly
d) To jump high
Answer: b) To trip and lose balance
2. Which of these is a synonym of "stumble"?
a) Glide
b) Falter
c) Proceed
d) Balance
Answer: b) Falter
3. Which sentence uses "stumble" correctly?
a) He will stumble through the whole event.
b) She stumbled and fell but quickly got back up.
c) They stumbled their homework on time.
d) The runner stumbled over the finish line with elegance.
Answer: b) She stumbled and fell but quickly got back up.
4. Which idiom means finding something by accident?
a) Stumble upon
b) Stumbling block
c) Walk in the park
d) Run a mile
Answer: a) Stumble upon
5. What is the opposite of "stumble"?
a) Trip
b) Steady
c) Fall
d) Slip
Answer: b) Steady
