From late Middle English, from Low German fummeln, fommeln, fammeln (German fummeln), or Dutch fommelen.
Or, perhaps from a Scandinavian/North Germanic source; compare related Old Norse fálma, Icelandic fálma, Danish fumle, especially Swedish fumla, famla, with variants: fumbla (“fumble”), fambla (“famble”), related to Swedish fim, fem (Danish fim, Norwegian fim, feima), with a root meaning of “cover, coating of foam or figuratively ditto”, cognate to German Feim (“surf”) and English foam. Possibly has (a more or less unconscious) connection to fathom (via Old Norse faðmr, Swedish famn) in the sense of “embrace”.
The ultimate origin for either could perhaps be imitative of fumbling. Or, from Proto-Indo-European *pal- (“to shake, swing”), see also Latin palpo (“to pat, touch softly”), and possibly Proto-West Germanic *fōlijan (“to feel”).
From late Middle English, from Low German fummeln, fommeln, fammeln (German fummeln), or Dutch fommelen.
Or, perhaps from a Scandinavian/North Germanic source; compare related Old Norse fálma, Icelandic fálma, Danish fumle, especially Swedish fumla, famla, with variants: fumbla (“fumble”), fambla (“famble”), related to Swedish fim, fem (Danish fim, Norwegian fim, feima), with a root meaning of “cover, coating of foam or figuratively ditto”, cognate to German Feim (“surf”) and English foam. Possibly has (a more or less unconscious) connection to fathom (via Old Norse faðmr, Swedish famn) in the sense of “embrace”.
The ultimate origin for either could perhaps be imitative of fumbling. Or, from Proto-Indo-European *pal- (“to shake, swing”), see also Latin palpo (“to pat, touch softly”), and possibly Proto-West Germanic *fōlijan (“to feel”).
Meanings
(intransitive, transitive) To handle nervously or awkwardly.
He fumbled the key into the lock.
Waiting for the interview, he fumbled with his tie.
(intransitive, transitive) To grope awkwardly in trying to find something
He fumbled his way to the light-switch.
Adams novv began to fumble in his Pockets, and ſoon cried out, O la! I have it [a sermon] not about me— […] 1742, Henry Fielding, “In which the Gentleman Relates the History of His Life”, in The History of the Adventures of Joseph Andrews, and of His Friend Mr. Abraham Adams. […], volume II, London: […] A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book III, page 52:
He fumbled for his keys.
(intransitive) To blunder uncertainly.
He fumbled through his prepared speech.
To grope about in perplexity; to seek awkwardly.
to fumble for an excuse
My understanding stutters, and my memory fumbles. 1711 August 12, Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield, letter to Dr. Chevenix:
Alas! how he fumbles about the domains. 1800, Wordsworth, Written in Germany on one of the coldest days of the century:
(intransitive, transitive) To drop a ball or a baton etc. by accident.
Henderson's best strike on goal saw goalkeeper Kingson uncomfortably fumble his measured shot around the post. 2010 December 28, Owen Phillips, “Sunderland 0 - 2 Blackpool”, in BBC:
To handle much; to play childishly; to turn over and over.
I saw him fumble with the sheets, and play with flowers. 1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii]:
(obsolete, slang) Of a man, to sexually underperform.
as খেপিওৱা (to handle nervously or awkwardly) · hu keresgél (to grope awkwardly in trying to find something) · es escaparse (to drop a ball or a baton etc) · bg бърникам (to handle nervously or awkwardly) · mi whāwhā (to grope awkwardly in trying to find something) · bg изпускам (to drop a ball or a baton etc) · de patzen (to drop a ball or a baton etc) · ru мять (to handle nervously or awkwardly) · it armeggiare (to handle nervously or awkwardly) · hu elejt (to drop a ball or a baton etc) · sco fummle (to grope awkwardly in trying to find something) · ja いじり回す (to handle nervously or awkwardly) · it annaspare (to grope awkwardly in trying to find something) · fi möhlätä (to blunder uncertainly) · fi hamuilla (to grope awkwardly in trying to find something) · fr tâtonner (to grope awkwardly in trying to find something) · es meter la pata (to handle nervously or awkwardly) · hu kiejt (to drop a ball or a baton etc) · sco fummle (to handle nervously or awkwardly) · sv famla (to grope awkwardly in trying to find something) · sv fumla (to blunder uncertainly) · fr tripoter (to handle nervously or awkwardly) · nb fomle (to handle nervously or awkwardly) · mi ninipa (to blunder uncertainly) · ru мя́млить (to blunder uncertainly) · de fummeln (to handle nervously or awkwardly) · mi pakihawa (to handle nervously or awkwardly) · kea palpá (to grope awkwardly in trying to find something) · mi pakihawa (to blunder uncertainly) · hu akadozik (to blunder uncertainly) · it giocherellare (to handle nervously or awkwardly) · es dejar caer (to drop a ball or a baton etc) · uk намацувати (to grope awkwardly in trying to find something) · da fumle (to handle nervously or awkwardly) · fi hapuilla (to grope awkwardly in trying to find something) · es soltar (to drop a ball or a baton etc) · sv fjockla (to handle nervously or awkwardly) · hu habog (to blunder uncertainly) · es perder (to drop a ball or a baton etc) · es manosear (to handle nervously or awkwardly) · ru тереби́ть (to handle nervously or awkwardly) · hu matat (to handle nervously or awkwardly) · is fálma (to grope awkwardly in trying to find something) · mi hārau (to grope awkwardly in trying to find something) · sv fumla sig (to blunder uncertainly) · as খেপিওৱা (to grope awkwardly in trying to find something) · fi sählätä (to drop a ball or a baton etc) · fi hamuilla (to handle nervously or awkwardly) · hu babrál (to handle nervously or awkwardly) · es cantar (to drop a ball or a baton etc) · hu dadog (to blunder uncertainly) · sco fummle (to blunder uncertainly) · pl szperać (to grope awkwardly in trying to find something) · cmn 摸索 (to handle nervously or awkwardly) · ru ша́рить (to grope awkwardly in trying to find something) · hu kotorászik (to grope awkwardly in trying to find something) · es manosear (to grope awkwardly in trying to find something) · ja 探り回す (to grope awkwardly in trying to find something) · fi munata (to blunder uncertainly) · hu tapogat (to grope awkwardly in trying to find something) · es tanatear (to grope awkwardly in trying to find something) · kea palpa (to grope awkwardly in trying to find something) · gl tentar (to handle nervously or awkwardly) · it farfugliare (to blunder uncertainly) · bg тършувам (to grope awkwardly in trying to find something) · hu hebeg (to blunder uncertainly) · it balbettare (to blunder uncertainly) · ru нащу́пывать (to grope awkwardly in trying to find something) · hu ügyetlenkedik (to blunder uncertainly) · es titubear (to blunder uncertainly) · it frugare (to grope awkwardly in trying to find something) · eo fuŝpalpi (to handle nervously or awkwardly) · hu hebeg-habog (to blunder uncertainly) · id meraba-raba (to grope awkwardly in trying to find something) · fi hapuilla (to handle nervously or awkwardly) · es tanatear (to handle nervously or awkwardly) · hu tapogatózik (to grope awkwardly in trying to find something)