TOTTER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does totter mean? 

• TOTTER (verb)
  The verb TOTTER has 3 senses:

1. move without being stable, as if threatening to fall

2. walk unsteadily

3. move unsteadily, with a rocking motion

  Familiarity information: TOTTER used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• TOTTER (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they totter    ... he / she / it totters   
Past simple: tottered   
Past participle: tottered   
-ing form: tottering   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Move without being stable, as if threatening to fall

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

The drunk man tottered over to our table

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

rock; shake; sway (move back and forth or sideways)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s PP

Sense 2

Meaning:

Walk unsteadily

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

coggle; dodder; paddle; toddle; totter; waddle

Context example:

small children toddle

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

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

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Sentence example:

The children totter to the playground

Derivation:

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

Sense 3

Meaning:

Move unsteadily, with a rocking motion

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

seesaw; teeter; totter

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

move (move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion)

Sentence frames:

Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s PP

 Context examples 

It caught in the window, the tower tottered, leaned forward, fell with a crash, and buried the unhappy lovers in the ruins.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

She no more than started, for she swayed and tottered, and reached her hand weakly out to mine.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

As he watched her go, the Nietzschean edifice seemed to shake and totter.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

She turned and tottered to the bunk, flinging herself face down upon it, sobbing: "You beasts! You beasts!"

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

We tottered together upon the brink of the fall.

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

Tottering and shaking in all his giant frame, he stumbled slowly from the room.

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

And when the club or whip fell upon them, the spark fluttered feebly up, and they tottered to their feet and staggered on.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

For a moment it tottered and swayed, and then, falling outward, buried him in its ruin, while his comrades rushed into the dark archway which led to safety.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I informed her that my reason was tottering on its throne, and only she, Miss Mills, could prevent its being deposed.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Because of this he made heroic efforts to arise and at last he stood on his four legs, tottering and swaying back and forth.

(White Fang, by Jack London)