stagger etymology

Etymology:

• Middle English: stagren, staggeren, staggern, from Old English: stagrian, staggerian
• Possibly from Old Norse: stagra, meaning "to stagger, sway"
• Also possibly from Middle Dutch: staggeren or Middle Low German: staggern, both meaning "to stagger, totter"

Meaning and Origin:

The word "stagger" originally meant "to sway or rock from side to side, especially while walking or standing." It was often used to describe the unsteady gait of someone who is drunk or disoriented.

Over time, the meaning of "stagger" expanded to include:

• To walk or move unsteadily in general, regardless of intoxication
• To stumble or trip
• To hesitate or falter, especially in speech or thought
• To arrange or distribute in an uneven or irregular manner

The origin of the word is uncertain. Some believe it is onomatopoeic, mimicking the sounds made by someone who is staggering. Others suggest it is related to the word "stagger," meaning "a young deer," as young deer often walk with an unsteady gait.

In modern English, "stagger" is used in both literal and figurative contexts. It can describe the physical unsteadiness of someone who is intoxicated, or it can be used metaphorically to describe any kind of hesitation, faltering, or irregularity.

stagger relate terms

• staggering

  Etymology Middle English stagren from Old English staggered past tense of stagieren

• stagger

  Etymology Middle English stagren staggeren staggern from Old English stagrian sta

• reel

  Etymology The word reel has several etymological origins Old French rier to lau

• keel

  Etymology The word keel comes from the Middle English word kele which is derived fr

• lurch

  Etymology Late 18th century probably related to lurch a nautical term from the 16th c

• vague

  Etymology Origin of the Word The word vague is derived from the Latin word vagus m

• wink

  Etymology The word wink is derived from the Old English word wincian which means to

• wince

  Etymology The word wince comes from the Middle English word winchen which is a vari

• fail

  Etymology The word fail traces its origins back to the Latin verb fallere meaning

• arrange

  Etymology Meaning Origin etymology the origin of a word and the

• stumble

  Etymology The word stumble comes from the Middle English word stomblen which is tho