Falter Meaning
/ˈfɒltə/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounAn unsteadiness.
verbTo waver or be unsteady; to weaken or trail off.
Sentence Examples
You must not falter.
Lucy's bloodless lips could only falter out the words, “It was my mother.”
Hold the weight above your head until your arms begin to falter.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
Even experienced speakers may ____ when faced with a hostile audience.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
He began to ____ as he reached the most difficult part of the speech, but he soon recovered.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English falteren (“to stagger; be unsteady, tremble, quiver; to stammer; be entangled, get caught”), further origin unknown. Probably from a North Germanic source such as Old Norse faltrask (“to hesitate, be puzzled, be encumbered”). May also be a frequentative of fold, although the change from d to t is unusual.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Tom, who isn't paying much attention, is suddenly caught by the falter in his voice as he reads the two lines—"
— 2009, Ruth Cigman, Andrew Davis, New Philosophies of Learning, page 200:
"He found his legs falter."
— 1672, Richard Wiseman, A Treatise of Wounds:
"Considering the results of the study, today John may be buoyed at the clear trend of increasing numbers of new “lishes” for each successive decade since the 1950s, and the fact that nothing in the data suggests this trend is likely to falter."
— 2018, James Lambert, “A multitude of ‘lishes’: The nomenclature of hybridity”, in English World-Wide, page 18:
"And here he faltered forth his last farewell."
— 1807, Lord Byron, Childish Recollections:
"With faltering speech and visage incomposed."
— 1667, John Milton, “Book II”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Even experienced speakers may ____ when faced with a hostile audience.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
He began to ____ as he reached the most difficult part of the speech, but he soon recovered.