different between failure vs fumble

English

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman failer, from Old French faillir (“to fail”).

Pronunciation

• (Canada, General American) IPA^(key): /?fe?l.j?/
• (UK) IPA^(key): /?fe?l.j?/

Noun

failure (countable and uncountable, plural failures)

1. State or condition of not meeting a desirable or intended objective, opposite of success.
2. An object, person or endeavour in a state of failure or incapable of success.
3. Termination of the ability of an item to perform its required function; breakdown.
4. Bankruptcy.

Synonyms

• (person incapable of success): loser

Antonyms

• (state or condition): success, triumph

Derived terms

• ground failure
• power failure

Related terms

• fail

Translations

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?f?mb?l/

• Rhymes: -?mb?l

Etymology 1

Late Middle English, from Low German fommeln or Dutch fommelen.

Or, perhaps from a Scandinavian/North Germanic source; compare Old Norse fálma, Swedish fumla, Danish fumle, German fummeln.

The ultimate origin for either could perhaps be imitative of fumbling. Or, from Proto-Indo-European *pal- (“to shake, swing”), see also Latin palpo (“I pat, touch softly”), and possibly Proto-West Germanic *f?lijan (“to feel”).

Verb

fumble (third-person singular simple present fumbles, present participle fumbling, simple past and past participle fumbled)

1. (transitive, intransitive) To handle nervously or awkwardly.

2. (transitive, intransitive) To grope awkwardly in trying to find something
   • 1742, Henry Fielding, Joseph Andrews

     Adams now began to fumble in his pockets.}}

3. (intransitive) To blunder uncertainly.

4. To grope about in perplexity; to seek awkwardly.
5. (transitive, intransitive, sports) To drop a ball or a baton etc. by accident.
6. To handle much; to play childishly; to turn over and over.

Synonyms

• (grope awkwardly): grubble, poke; see also Thesaurus:feel around

Translations

Noun

fumble (plural fumbles)

1. (sports, American football, Canadian football) A ball etc. that has been dropped by accident.

Translations

Etymology 2

Blend of fool +? crumble.

Noun

fumble (plural fumbles)

1. (Britain) A dessert similar to a cross between a fool and a crumble.

Further reading

• fumble on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

References