different between bungle vs blunder

English

Etymology

From Old Norse, akin to Swedish dialect bangla (“to work ineffectually”), from Old Swedish bunga (“to strike”). Compare German Bengel (“cudgel; rude fellow”), Middle High German bungen (“to hammer”).

The noun derives from the verb.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?b??.?(?)l/
• Rhymes: -????l

Verb

bungle (third-person singular simple present bungles, present participle bungling, simple past and past participle bungled)

1. (transitive, intransitive) To botch up, bumble or incompetently perform a task; to make or mend clumsily; to manage awkwardly.
   • 1821, February 25th, Byron, quoted from Letters and Journals of Lord Byron:

     I always had an idea that it would be bungled; but was willing to hope, and am still so. Whatever I can do by money, means, or person, I will venture freely for their freedom; […]

   • 1853, Charles Dickens, Bleak House, Chapter 49:

     His hand shakes, he is nervous, and it falls off. “Would any one believe this?” says he, catching it as it drops and looking round. “I am so out of sorts that I bungle at an easy job like this!”

   • 2014, Paul Doyle, "Southampton hammer eight past hapless Sunderland in barmy encounter", The Guardian, 18 October 2014:

     There was a whiff of farce about Southampton’s second goal too, as, six minutes later, a bungled Sunderland pass ricocheted off Will Buckley’s backside to the feet of Dusan Tadic.

Synonyms

See Thesaurus:spoil

Derived terms

• bungler
• bungling
• bunglesome

Translations

Noun

bungle (plural bungles)

1. A botched or incompetently handled situation.
   • 1888, Henry Lawson, United Division:

     The Soudan bungle was born partly of sentimental loyalty and partly of the aforementioned jealousy existing between the colonies, and now at a time when the colonies should club closer together our Government is doing all they can to widen the breach by trying to pass a bill enabling New South Wales to monopolise the name “Australia”.

Anagrams

• blunge

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.