different between totter vs throb

English

Etymology

From Middle English totren, toteren, from earlier *tolteren (compare dialectal English tolter (“to struggle, flounder”); Scots tolter (“unstable, wonky”)), from Old English tealtrian (“to totter, vacillate”), from Proto-Germanic *taltr?n?, a frequentative form of Proto-Germanic *talt?n? (“to sway, dangle, hesitate”), from Proto-Indo-European *del-, *dul- (“to shake, hesitate”). Cognate with Dutch touteren (“to tremble”), Norwegian dialectal totra (“to quiver, shake”), North Frisian talt, tolt (“unstable, shaky”). Related to tilt.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?t?t?/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?t??t?/
• Rhymes: -?t?(r)

Verb

totter (third-person singular simple present totters, present participle tottering, simple past and past participle tottered) (intransitive)

1. To walk, move or stand unsteadily or falteringly; threatening to fall.
2. (figuratively) To be on the brink of collapse.
3. (archaic) To collect junk or scrap.

Synonyms

• (move unsteadily): reel, teeter, toddle, stagger, sway

Derived terms

• teeter-totter
• totterer
• tottergrass
• tottering
• totteringly
• tottersome
• tottery

Translations

Noun

totter (plural totters)

1. An unsteady movement or gait.
2. (archaic) A rag and bone man.

Translations

English

Etymology

From Middle English throbben; possibly of imitative origin.

Pronunciation

• enPR: thr?b, IPA^(key): /???b/
• Rhymes: -?b

Verb

throb (third-person singular simple present throbs, present participle throbbing, simple past and past participle throbbed)

1. (intransitive) To pound or beat rapidly or violently.
2. (intransitive) To vibrate or pulsate with a steady rhythm.
3. (intransitive, of a body part) To pulse (often painfully) in time with the circulation of blood.

Derived terms

• throbbingly

Translations

Noun

throb (plural throbs)

1. A beating, vibration or palpitation.

Derived terms

• throbber
• throbby
• heartthrob

Translations

Anagrams

• Borth, broth