falter

FAL'TER, verb intransitive [Latin fallo, the primary sense of which is to fall short, or to err, to miss, to deviate.] 1. To hesitate, fail or break in the utterance of words; to speak with a broken or trembling utterance; to stammer. His tongue falters. He speaks with a faltering tongue. He falters at the question. 2. To fail, tremble or yield in exertion; not to be firm and steady. His legs falter 3. To fail in the regular exercise of the understanding. We observe idiots to falter FAL'TER, verb transitive To sift. [Not in use.]