stagger

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: stag=ger
• COUNT in NET: 9 in 7 verses (in OT : 9 in 7 verses)

CIDE DICTIONARY

stagger, v. i. [OE. stakeren, Icel. stakra to push, to stagger, fr. staka to punt, push, stagger; cf. OD. staggeren to stagger. Cf. Stake, n.].

•  To move to one side and the other, as if about to fall, in standing or walking; not to stand or walk with steadiness; to sway; to reel or totter.  [1913 Webster]

  "Deep was the wound; he staggered with the blow."  [1913 Webster]
•  To cease to stand firm; to begin to give way; to fail.  Addison.  [1913 Webster]
•  To begin to doubt and waver in purpose; to become less confident or determined; to hesitate.  [1913 Webster]

  "He [Abraham] staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief."  [1913 Webster]

stagger, v. t. 

•  To cause to reel or totter.  [1913 Webster]

  "That hand shall burn in never-quenching fire
  That staggers thus my person."  [1913 Webster]
•  To cause to doubt and waver; to make to hesitate; to make less steady or confident; to shock.  [1913 Webster]

  "Whosoever will read the story of this war will find himself much staggered."  [1913 Webster]

  "Grants to the house of Russell were so enormous, as not only to outrage economy, but even to stagger credibility."  [1913 Webster]
•  To arrange (a series of parts) on each side of a median line alternately, as the spokes of a wheel or the rivets of a boiler seam.  [1913 Webster]

stagger, n. 

•  An unsteady movement of the body in walking or standing, as if one were about to fall; a reeling motion; vertigo; -- often in the plural; as, the stagger of a drunken man.  [1913 Webster]
•  A disease of horses and other animals, attended by reeling, unsteady gait or sudden falling; as, parasitic staggers; apopletic or sleepy staggers.  [1913 Webster]
•  Bewilderment; perplexity.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]

Stomach staggers (Far.), distention of the stomach with food or gas, resulting in indigestion, frequently in death.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

stagger, v. & n.
--v.
1 a intr. walk unsteadily, totter. b tr. cause to totter (was staggered by the blow).
2 a tr. shock, confuse; cause to hesitate or waver (the question staggered them; they were staggered at the suggestion). b intr. hesitate; waver in purpose.
3 tr. arrange (events, hours of work, etc.) so that they do not coincide.
4 tr. arrange (objects) so that they are not in line, esp.: a arrange (a road-crossing) so that the side-roads are not in line. b set (the spokes of a wheel) to incline alternately to right and left.
--n.
1 a tottering movement.
2 (in pl.) a a disease of the brain and spinal cord esp. in horses and cattle, causing staggering. b giddiness.
3 an overhanging or slantwise or zigzag arrangement of like parts in a structure etc.

Derivative

staggerer n.

Etymology

alt. of ME stacker (now dial.) f. ON stakra frequent. of staka push, stagger

THESAURUS

stagger

affright, agitate, alarm, alternate, amaze, amble, amplitude, arrhythmia, astonish, astound, awe, awestrike, back and fill, barge, be drunk, be incredible, be intoxicated, be unbelievable, bedaze, bedazzle, bewilder, blunder, boggle, bowl along, bowl down, bowl over, brokenness, bundle, burden, camber, capriciousness, capsize, careen, career, choppiness, clump, come a cropper, confound, crack, crankle, curdle the blood, daze, dazzle, desultoriness, devastate, discombobulate, discompose, disconcert, disconnectedness, discontinuity, disquiet, disturb, dither, do, drag, droop, dumbfound, dumbfounder, ebb and flow, eccentricity, electrify, erraticness, fall, fall down, fall flat, fall headlong, fall over, fall prostrate, falter, fare, fibrillation, fill with doubt, fitfulness, fits and starts, flabbergast, flight path, floor, flounce, flounder, fluctuate, fluctuation, flummox, flurry, fluster, flutter, foot, footslog, fright, frighten, funk, fuss, gait, gallop, get, get a cropper, go, go through phases, halt, have two minds, hippety-hop, hitch, hobble, hop, horripilate, inconstancy, intermittence, irregularity, jar, jerkiness, jog, jolt, jump, knock over, labor, limp, list, lock step, lumber, lunge, lurch, make one tremble, mince, mincing steps, muddle through, nonplus, nonuniformity, oscillate, overcome, overpower, overwhelm, pace, paddle, paralyze, pass belief, pass out, patchiness, peg, pendulate, perplex, perturb, petrify, piaffe, piaffer, pitch, pitch and plunge, plod, plunge, pop, prance, puzzle, rack, raise apprehensions, rattle, rearrange, reel, ring the changes, rock, roll, roughness, ruffle, sashay, saunter, scare, scuff, scuffle, scuttle, see double, seesaw, seethe, shake, shake up, shamble, shatter, shift, shilly-shally, shock, shot, shuffle, sidle, single-foot, skin effect, skin friction, skip, slap, slink, slip, slither, slog, slouch, slowness, space out, spasticity, spook, sporadicity, sporadicness, spottiness, sprawl, spread-eagle, stab, stalk, stammer, stamp, startle, step, stir, stiver, stomp, straddle, straggle, stride, strike dead, strike dumb, strike with wonder, stroll, strolling gait, struggle, strut, stumble, stump, stun, stupefy, surprise, swagger, sway, swing, take a fall, take a flop, take a header, take a pratfall, take a spill, take aback, tax, teeter, teeter-totter, thrash about, tilt, tittup, toddle, topple, topple down, topple over, toss, toss and tumble, toss and turn, totter, traipse, tread, trip, trot, trouble, trudge, try, tumble, turn, turn turtle, uncertainty, unevenness, unman, unmethodicalness, unnerve, unpredictability, unsettle, unsteadiness, unstring, unsystematicness, upset, vacillate, variability, vary, velocity, volutation, waddle, walk, wallop, wallow, wamble, waver, wax and wane, weave, welter, whack, wheel, whiffle, whimsicality, whirl, wiggle, wobble, zag, zig, zigzag

ROGET THESAURUS

stagger

Dissuasion

VB dissuade, dehort, cry out against, remonstrate, expostulate, warn, contraindicate, disincline, indispose, shake, stagger, dispirit, discourage, dishearten, deter, repress, hold back, keep back, render averse, repel, turn aside, wean from, act as a drag, throw cold water on, damp, cool, chill, blunt, calm, quiet, quench, deprecate, disenchant, disillusion, deflate, take down a peg, pop one's balloon, prick one's balloon, burst one's bubble, disabuse (correction).

Excitation

VB excite, affect, touch, move, impress, strike, interest, animate, inspire, impassion, smite, infect, stir the blood, fire the blood, warm the blood, set astir, wake, awake, awaken, call forth, evoke, provoke, raise up, summon up, call up, wake up, blow up, get up, light up, raise, get up the steam, rouse, arouse, stir, fire, kindle, enkindle, apply the torch, set on fire, inflame, stimulate, exsuscitate, inspirit, spirit up, stir up, work up, pique, infuse life into, give new life to, bring new blood, introduce new blood, quicken, sharpen, whet, work upon, hurry on, give a fillip, put on one's mettle, fan the fire, fan the flame, blow the coals, stir the embers, fan into a flame, foster, heat, warm, foment, raise to a fever heat, keep up, keep the pot boiling, revive, rekindle, rake up, rip up, stir the feelings, play on the feelings, come home to the feelings, touch a string, touch a chord, touch the soul, touch the heart, go to one's heart, penetrate, pierce, go through one, touch to the quick, possess the soul, pervade the soul, penetrate the soul, imbrue the soul, absorb the soul, affect the soul, disturb the soul, absorb, rivet the attention, sink into the mind, sink into the heart, prey on the mind, distract, intoxicate, overwhelm, overpower, bouleverser, upset, turn one's head, fascinate, enrapture, agitate, perturb, ruffle, fluster, shake, disturb, startle, shock, stagger, give one a shock, give one a turn, strike all of a heap, stun, astound, electrify, galvanize, petrify, irritate, sting, cut to the heart, cut to the quick, try one's temper, fool to the top of one's bent, pique, infuriate, madden, make one's blood boil, lash into fury, be excited, flush up, flare up, catch the infection, thrill, mantle, work oneself up, seethe, boil, simmer, foam, fume, flame, rage, rave, run mad.

Wonder

VB wonder, marvel, admire, be surprised, start, stare, open one's eyes, rub one's eyes, turn up one's eyes, gloar, gape, open one's mouth, hold one's breath, look aghast, stand aghast, stand agog, look blank, tombe des nues, not believe one's eyes, not believe one's ears, not believe one's senses, not be able to account for, not know whether one stands on one's head or one's, surprise, astonish, amaze, astound, dumfound, dumfounder, startle, dazzle, daze, strike, strike with wonder, strike with awe, electrify, stun, stupefy, petrify, confound, bewilder, flabbergast, stagger, throw on one's beam ends, fascinate, turn the head, take away one's breath, strike dumb, make one's hair stand on end, make one's tongue cleave to the roof of one's mout, make one stare, take by surprise, be wonderful, beggar description, beggar the imagination, baffle description, stagger belief.

Slowness

VB move slowly, creep, crawl, lag, slug, drawl, linger, loiter, saunter, plod, trudge, stump along, lumber, trail, drag, dawdle, grovel, worm one's way, steal along, job on, rub on, bundle on, toddle, waddle, wabble, slug, traipse, slouch, shuffle, halt, hobble, limp, caludicate, shamble, flag, falter, trotter, stagger, mince, step short, march in slow time, march in funeral procession, take one's time, hang fire, retard, relax, slacken, check, moderate, rein in, curb, reef, strike sail, shorten sail, take in sail, put on the drag, apply the brake, clip the wings, reduce the speed, slacken speed, slacken one's pace, lose ground.

Oscillation

VB oscillate, vibrate, librate, alternate, undulate, wave, rock, swing, pulsate, beat, wag, waggle, nod, bob, courtesy, curtsy, tick, play, wamble, wabble, dangle, swag, fluctuate, dance, curvet, reel, quake, quiver, quaver, shake, flicker, wriggle, roll, toss, pitch, flounder, stagger, totter, move up and down, bob up and down, pass and repass, ebb and flow, come and go, vacillate, teeter, brandish, shake, flourish.

Agitation

VB be agitated, shake, tremble, tremble like an aspen leaf, quiver, quaver, quake, shiver, twitter, twire, writhe, toss, shuffle, tumble, stagger, bob, reel, sway, wag, waggle, wriggle, wriggle like an eel, dance, stumble, shamble, flounder, totter, flounce, flop, curvet, prance, cavort, squirm, throb, pulsate, beat, palpitate, go pitapat, flutter, flitter, flicker, bicker, bustle, ferment, effervesce, foam, boil, boil over, bubble up, simmer, toss about, jump about, jump like a parched pea, shake like an aspen leaf, shake to its center, shake to its foundations, be the sport of the winds and waves, reel to and fro like a drunken man, move from post to pillar and from pillar to post, drive from post to pillar and from pillar to post, keep between hawk and buzzard, agitate, shake, convulse, toss, tumble, bandy, wield, brandish, flap, flourish, whisk, jerk, hitch, jolt, jog, joggle, jostle, buffet, hustle, disturb, stir, shake up, churn, jounce, wallop, whip, vellicate.

Doubt

VB disbelieve, discredit, not believe, misbelieve, refuse to admit, refuse to believe, doubt, be doubtful, doubt the truth of, be skeptical as to, diffide, distrust, mistrust, suspect, smoke, scent, smell a rat, have doubts, harbor doubts, entertain doubts, suspicions, have one's doubts, demure, stick at, pause, hesitate, scruple, stop to consider, waver, hang in suspense, hang in doubt, throw doubt upon, raise a question, bring in, call in question, question, challenge, dispute, deny, cavil, cause a doubt, raise a doubt, start a doubt, suggest a doubt, awake a doubt, make suspicion, ergotize, startle, stagger, shake one's faith, shake one's belief, stagger one's faith, stagger one's belief.

Inexpectation

VB not expect, be taken by surprise, start, miscalculate, not bargain for, come upon, fall upon, be unexpected, come unawares, turn up, pop, drop from the clouds, come upon one, burst upon one, flash upon one, bounce upon one, steal upon one, creep upon one, come like a thunder clap, burst like a thunderclap, thunder bolt, take by surprise, catch by surprise, catch unawares, catch napping, yach, pounce upon, spring a mine upon, surprise, startle, take aback, electrify, stun, stagger, take away one's breath, throw off one's guard, astonish, dumbfound.