bumble1

[buhm-buh l] /ˈbʌm bəl/
verb (used without object), bumbled, bumbling.
1.
to bungle or blunder awkwardly; muddle:
He somehow bumbled through two years of college.
2.
to stumble or stagger.
3.
to speak in a low, stuttering, halting manner; mumble.
verb (used with object), bumbled, bumbling.
4.
to do (something) clumsily; botch.
noun
5.
an awkward blunder.
Origin
1525-35; perhaps blend of bungle and stumble
Related forms
bumbler, noun

bumble2

[buhm-buh l] /ˈbʌm bəl/
verb (used without object), bumbled, bumbling.
1.
to make a buzzing, humming sound, as a bee.
Origin
1350-1400; Middle English bomblen, frequentative of bomben to boom, buzz; imitative
Examples from the web for bumble
  • They bumble along through life never really contemplating the life they live unaware in difficult to define ways.
  • The social bees, both honey and bumble, have a distinctive set that consists of surprisingly few species.
  • Honey bees and bumble bees help transfer pollen between fruit trees, necessary for producing healthy crops of edible fruit.
  • Description and comparison of carpenter bees to bumble bees.
  • Mud bees are not as likely to sting as honey and bumble bees.
  • Bees also need a variety of sizes, ranging from big sturdy flowers for the bumble bees to small delicate ones for the sweat bees.
  • Flowers with restricted accessibility are visited by bumble bees at higher elevations.
  • bumble is informed that the law supposes that your wife acts under your direction.
British Dictionary definitions for bumble

bumble1

/ˈbʌmbəl/
verb
1.
to speak or do in a clumsy, muddled, or inefficient way: he bumbled his way through his speech
2.
(intransitive) to proceed unsteadily; stumble
noun
3.
a blunder or botch
Derived Forms
bumbler, noun
bumbling, noun, adjective
Word Origin
C16: perhaps a blend of bungle + stumble

bumble2

/ˈbʌmbəl/
verb
1.
(intransitive) to make a humming sound
Word Origin
C14 bomblen to buzz, boom, of imitative origin
Word Origin and History for bumble
v.

"to flounder, blunder," 1530s, probably of imitative origin. Related: Bumbled; bumbler; bumbling.

Bumble

"self-important petty official," 1856, from the name of the fussy, pompous, stupid beadle in Dickens' "Oliver Twist."