different between fumble vs palpate

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

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin palp?tus, perfect passive participle of palp? (“touch softly”).

Pronunciation

• enPR: p?l?p?t, IPA^(key): /?pælpe?t/

Verb

palpate (third-person singular simple present palpates, present participle palpating, simple past and past participle palpated)

1. To examine or otherwise explore through touch, particularly (medicine) in reference to an area or organ of the human body.
   • 1992 March 2, Richard Preston, The New Yorker, "The Mountains of Pi":

     David reached inside with his fingers and palpated a logic board.

   I palpated his expired heart.

Synonyms

• touch

Translations

Adjective

palpate (not comparable)

1. Of palp, or having palp.

Related terms

• palp
• palpability
• palpable
• palpation
• palpiform
• palpitate
• palpitation

Further reading

• palpate in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• palpate at OneLook Dictionary Search

Italian

Noun

palpate f

1. plural of palpata

Verb

palpate

1. second-person plural present indicative of palpare
2. second-person plural imperative of palpare
3. feminine plural of palpato

Latin

Verb

palp?te

1. second-person plural present active imperative of palp?