different between blindly vs blunder

English

Etymology

From Middle English blindly, blyndly, from Old English blindl??e (“in a blind manner; blindly; rashly”), equivalent to blind +? -ly. Cognate with Swedish blindligt (“blindly”), Icelandic blindlega (“blindly”). Compare also West Frisian blindich (“blindly”), Dutch blindelings (“blindly”), German blindlings (“blindly”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?bla?ndli/

Adverb

blindly (comparative more blindly, superlative most blindly)

1. In a blind manner; without sight; sightlessly.

   I stumbled blindly through the forest, branches whipping at my face.

2. Without consideration or question.
   • 1940 March 19, Albert Einstein, letter to Morris Raphael Cohen

     The mediocre mind is incapable of understanding the man who refuses to bow blindly to conventional prejudices and chooses instead to express his opinions courageously and honestly.

Translations

English

Etymology

From Middle English blunder, blonder (“disturbance, strife”), from Middle English blundren, blondren (verb), which itself is partly from Middle English blondren, a frequentative form of Middle English blonden, blanden ("to mix; mix up"; corresponding to blend +? -er); and partly from Middle English blundren, a frequentative form of Middle English blunden (“to stagger; stumble”), from Old Norse blunda (“to shut the eyes; doze”).

Cognates include Norwegian blunda (“to shut the eyes; doze”), dialectal Swedish blundra (“to act blindly or rashly”), Danish blunde (“to blink”) or blunde (“to take a nap”). Related to English blind.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?bl?n.d?(?)/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?bl?n.d?/
• Rhymes: -?nd?(?)

Noun

blunder (plural blunders)

1. A clumsy or embarrassing mistake.
2. (chess) A very bad move, usually caused by some tactical oversight.

Synonyms

• (error): blooper, goof, see also Thesaurus:error

Derived terms

• blunderfest
• blundersome

Descendants

• ? Dutch: blunder
• ? Swedish: blunder

Translations

Verb

blunder (third-person singular simple present blunders, present participle blundering, simple past and past participle blundered)

1. (intransitive) To make a clumsy or stupid mistake.

2. (intransitive) To move blindly or clumsily.
   • October 6, 1759, Oliver Goldsmith, The Bee No. 1

     I was never distinguished for address, and have often even blundered in making my bow.

   • blunders on, and staggers every pace

3. (transitive) To cause to make a mistake.
   • 1714, Humphry Ditton, A discourse concerning the resurrection of Jesus Christ

     To blunder an adversary.

4. (transitive) To do or treat in a blundering manner; to confuse.
   • 1676, Edward Stillingfleet, A Defence of the Discourse Concerning the Idolatry Practised in the Church of Rome

     He blunders and confounds all these together.

Translations

Anagrams

• Ledburn, bundler

Danish

Verb

blunder

1. present of blunde

Dutch

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?b?n.d?r/
• Hyphenation: blun?der
• Rhymes: -?nd?r

Etymology 1

Borrowed from English blunder, from Middle English blonder, blundur (“disturbance, strife”), from Old Norse blunda (“to shut the eyes”). Related to blind.

Noun

blunder m (plural blunders, diminutive blundertje n)

1. A blunder, serious error or mistake.

Related terms

• blunderen

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the main entry.

Verb

blunder

1. first-person singular present indicative of blunderen
2. imperative of blunderen

Anagrams

• brulden

Swedish

Etymology

From English blunder.

Noun

blunder c

1. blunder; clumsy mistake

Declension

Further reading

• blunder in Svensk ordbok.