stumble on
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
English[edit]
Verb[edit]
stumble on (third-person singular simple present stumbles on, present participle stumbling on, simple past and past participle stumbled on)
- Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see stumble, on.
- (intransitive with prepositional object, figuratively) To discover or find something by accident.
- (intransitive with prepositional object, figuratively) To meet somebody by chance.
- (intransitive with on as adverbial particle, figuratively) To continue with difficulty in one's endeavours; to struggle on.
- 2009, Robert E. Sullivan, Macaulay: The Tragedy of Power[1], Harvard University Press, →ISBN, page 411:
- After 1849 Lord John Russell's government—virtually a Whig cousinhood—lurched but managed to stumble on until 1852.
- 2023 May 13, Jacob Tanswell, “Southampton’s Premier League relegation: Sackings, staff exits and divided dressing room”, in The Athletic[2], archived from the original on 2023-06-16:
- The 2-1 home defeat to Everton in October was the first warning shot. Although he stumbled on for another month, that was the end for Hasenhuttl.
Synonyms[edit]
- (discover or find by accident, meet by chance): chance upon, come across, come upon, happen across, happen upon, stumble across, stumble upon
Translations[edit]
to come across by accident; to discover by accident
|