_totter_
Verb.
Pronunciation
and accent: tɒtə(r).
Preterite tense, preterite participle: tottered.
Present
participle: tottering.
Etymology: of uncertain
origin. Walter Skeat stated that it might be the frequentative of tilt.
It is dated from
the beginning of 1200.
Intransitively: 1. Obsolete
acceptation: to move
backwards and forwards, as a body suspended from a support above; to oscillate
below a point of support, as a pendulum or the like.
2. Obsolete acceptation: (of a ship) to pitch; to
rise and fall alternately at bow and stern; to rock.
3. (The subject: a standing, stationary, or
structural thing) to move from side to side, with the appearance of being about to fall or
collapse; this is, to rock to and fro on its base, support, or foundation, as if about to
fall.
Synonyms: to overbalance,
shake, oscillate, waver, tremble, vacillate, stagger, titubate.
Antonym: to quiesce,
steady.
Translation: vacillare, in Italian; vaciller, in French; vacilar, in Spanish.
"According
to the most authentic records, my dear children," said Grandfather,
"the chair, about this time, had the misfortune to break its leg. It was
probably on account of this accident that it ceased to be the seat of the governors
of Massachusetts; for, assuredly, it would have been ominous of evil to the
commonwealth if the chair of state had tottered upon three legs.
Nathaniel Hawthorne… Grandfather's
Chair 1841
The
massive pinnacle already tottered.
Walter Scott… Ivanhoe 1863
[A]
grotesque mansion, long deserted through superstitions into which we did not
inquire, and tottering to its fall in a retired and
desolate portion of the Faubourg St. Germain.
Edgar Poe
By
the dim light of an accidental lamp, tall, antique, worm-eaten, wooden
tenements were seen tottering to their fall
Edgar Poe
It
snowed fiercely, and the house tottered to its centre with the floods
of wind that, rushing through the crannies in the wall, and pouring impetuously
down the chimney, shook awfully the curtains of the philosopher's bed.
Edgar Poe
4. (Of legs, knees, etc.) to tremble so as
to make the walker or stander be unsteady.
Synonym: to falter.
Cecilia,
however, felt her weakness when she attempted to move down stairs; her feet tottered, and her head became dizzy.
Frances Burney… Cecilia 1782
My
breast heaved, my knees tottered.
Edgar Poe
When
Mr Vanslyperken had been brought aft, his legs tottered, and he could hardly stand.
His face was livid, and his lips white with fear.
Frederick Marryat… Snarleyyow 1837
5. (The subject: a person) to walk or stand
staggeringly; to move with unsteady or devious steps, as from intoxication,
weakness, giddiness, or while supporting a heavy load; to become unsteady when
trying to stand or walk erect.
Synonyms: vacillate,
toddle, stagger.
Antonyms: to amble,
prance, tittup.
Translation: barcollare, in Italian; vaciller, in French; vacilar, in Spanish.
At
last she [Amelia] made a shift to totter into the kitchen, when the mistress
of the house asked her, "Well, madam, who shall I tell the captain wants
to speak with him?"
Henry Fielding… Amelia 1751
"Why
don't you help Antonio on with the baggage, Charles?" said Julia, as she
stood looking at the driver tottering under the weight of the trunks.
James Cooper… Tales for Fifteen 1823
The
door was thrown open at this juncture, and Miss Pecksniff entered, tottering, and supported by her three
bridesmaids.
Charles Dickens… Martin Chuzzlewit 1843
The
gold and jewels on his shrine filled two great chests, and eight men tottered as they [took] them away.
Charles Dickens… A child’s History 1853
[…] he finally stood on his feet, unsteady on
his legs, and tottering like one drunken.
Andy Adams… Cattle Brands 1906
[Sophia] had scarce strength sufficient to totter into the inn, leaning on the arm of
her maid. Here she was no sooner seated than she called for a glass of water; but
Mrs Honour, […] changed it into a glass of wine.
Henry Fielding… The history of Tom Jones 1749
Stupified
with terror, the young nobleman tottered to the door.
Edgar Poe
Encumbered
with my novel apparel, I experienced at once feelings of restraint and sorrow.
My shoes hurt me, my worsted stockings irritated the skin […]. I fancied myself
a man, but was very much embarrassed with my manhood. Every step that I took I
felt as if I was checked back by strings. I could not swing my arms as I was
wont to do, and tottered in my shoes like a rickety child.
Frederick Marryat… Jacob Faithful 1834
At
length a female, closely veiled […], tremblingly took the proffered arm, and tottered into the hotel.
Edward Howard… Rattlin the Reefer 1836
He tottered across the lawn; climbed the steps; knocked faintly
at the door.
Charles Dickens… Oliver Twist 1837
The cowering
wretch, who still shook in every limb […] tottered to
his feet as he met Ralph's eye, and, shielding his face with both hands,
protested, while he crept towards the door, that it was no fault of his.
Charles Dickens… Nicholas Nickleby 1838
-) With
adverbs:
[…]
with much mumbling and chuckling and shaking of his forefinger, he rose, with
the assistance of his stick, and tottered off.
Charles Dickens… Barnaby Rudge 1841
And
if ever, since the world began, a young boy took a baby from a cradle with the
care of an old nurse, and hushed and soothed it tenderly, and tottered away with it cheerfully, Johnny was
that boy, and Moloch was that baby, as they went out together!
Charles Dickens… The Ghost's Bargain 1848
[Madame
Bernstein] stared about wildly a moment, and then tottered
forward on
her tortoiseshell cane.
William Thackeray… The Virginians 1859
Belle
rose from her seat, and tottered to a desk that was on a side-table, holding by
the furniture as she went […] She tottered back again, holding something in her
hand.
Henry Wood… George Canterbury’s Will 1870
[She] then moved backwards—then tottered forwards.
William Thackeray… Burlesques 1887
[…] the old housekeeper tottered off to her own room.
Oscar Wilde… The Canterville Ghost 1887
Transitively: 1.
(Rarely used) to make (one’s way) totteringly.
2. (Rarely
used) to walk (someone) totteringly.
English words
derived from TOTTER: totterer, totteringly, tottery, totter (n.),
tottering, totterish.
