stumble on en · VERB
Meanings
- Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see stumble, on.
- (figuratively, intransitive, with prepositional object) To discover or find something by accident.
- (figuratively, intransitive, with prepositional object) To meet somebody by chance.
-
(as adverbial particle, figuratively, intransitive, with-on) To continue with difficulty in one's endeavours; to struggle on.
After 1849 Lord John Russell's government—virtually a Whig cousinhood—lurched but managed to stumble on until 1852.
2009, Robert E. Sullivan, Macaulay: The Tragedy of Power, Harvard University Press, →ISBN, page 411: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.
2023 May 13, Jacob Tanswell, “Southampton’s Premier League relegation: Sackings, staff exits and divided dressing room”, in The Athletic, archived from the original on 16 Jun 2023:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| stumbled on | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| stumbled on | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| stumbling on | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| stumbles on | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic |
Synonyms
chance upon (discover or find by accident, meet by chance) · come upon (discover or find by accident, meet by chance) · happen upon (discover or find by accident, meet by chance) · stumble upon (discover or find by accident, meet by chance) · stumble across (discover or find by accident, meet by chance) · happen across (discover or find by accident, meet by chance) · come across (discover or find by accident, meet by chance)
Translations (17)
pl napotkać (to come across by accident; to discover by accident) · ru натыка́ться (to come across by accident; to discover by accident) · uk нашто́вхуватися (to come across by accident; to discover by accident) · ru натолкну́ться (to come across by accident; to discover by accident) · no snuble over (to come across by accident; to discover by accident) · ru наткну́ться (to come across by accident; to discover by accident) · uk наштовхну́тися (to come across by accident; to discover by accident) · pl wpaść (to come across by accident; to discover by accident) · pl wpadać (to come across by accident; to discover by accident) · pl natykać się (to come across by accident; to discover by accident) · fr tomber (to come across by accident; to discover by accident) · ru ната́лкиваться (to come across by accident; to discover by accident) · pl natknąć się (to come across by accident; to discover by accident) · pl natrafiać (to come across by accident; to discover by accident) · pl natrafić (to come across by accident; to discover by accident) · fr tomber (to come across by accident; to discover by accident) · pl napotykać (to come across by accident; to discover by accident)