STAGGER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does stagger mean? 

• STAGGER (noun)
  The noun STAGGER has 1 sense:

1. an unsteady uneven gait

  Familiarity information: STAGGER used as a noun is very rare.

• STAGGER (verb)
  The verb STAGGER has 4 senses:

1. walk as if unable to control one's movements

2. walk with great difficulty

3. to arrange in a systematic order

4. astound or overwhelm, as with shock

  Familiarity information: STAGGER used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• STAGGER (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An unsteady uneven gait

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

lurch; stagger; stumble

Hypernyms ("stagger" is a kind of...):

gait (a person's manner of walking)

Derivation:

stagger (walk as if unable to control one's movements)

stagger (walk with great difficulty)

• STAGGER (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they stagger    ... he / she / it staggers   
Past simple: staggered   
Past participle: staggered   
-ing form: staggering   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Walk as if unable to control one's movements

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

careen; keel; lurch; reel; stagger; swag

Context example:

The drunken man staggered into the room

Hypernyms (to "stagger" is one way to...):

walk (use one's feet to advance; advance by steps)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

stagger (an unsteady uneven gait)

staggerer (someone who walks unsteadily as if about to fall)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Walk with great difficulty

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

flounder; stagger

Context example:

He staggered along in the heavy snow

Hypernyms (to "stagger" is one way to...):

walk (use one's feet to advance; advance by steps)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Sentence example:

The children stagger to the playground

Derivation:

stagger (an unsteady uneven gait)

Sense 3

Meaning:

To arrange in a systematic order

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

distribute; stagger

Context example:

stagger the chairs in the lecture hall

Hypernyms (to "stagger" is one way to...):

arrange; set up (put into a proper or systematic order)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s something PP

Sense 4

Meaning:

Astound or overwhelm, as with shock

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Context example:

She was staggered with bills after she tried to rebuild her house following the earthquake

Hypernyms (to "stagger" is one way to...):

overcome; overpower; overtake; overwhelm; sweep over; whelm (overcome, as with emotions or perceptual stimuli)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s somebody

 Context examples 

“You do me proud,” cried the fellow, staggering to his feet and pulling at his coat.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Both the guards who held Summerlee were down, and he was staggering about like a drunken man in his amazement, unable to realize that he was a free man.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

As we approached, the lady staggered against the trunk of the tree for support.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I never was more staggered in my life.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

By convulsive efforts he got on his feet, staggered, and fell.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

The next moment his nose was laid open, and he was staggering backward away from the meat.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

I think we were all staggered.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

When I turned around, a moment later, I saw the cabin-boy staggering to his feet.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

"Jane, I've got a blow; I've got a blow, Jane!" He staggered.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

We do not walk. All the time we fall down. We stand up and stagger two steps, maybe three steps, then we fall down again.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)