falter

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To become weaker or less steady; to lose strength or confidence.

   Their enthusiasm began to falter halfway through the project.

2. 2
   verb

   To speak in a hesitant, unsteady, or trembling way.

   His voice faltered as he read the sad news.

3. 3
   verb

   To hesitate or pause because of doubt.

   She never faltered in her decision to leave.

From Middle English falteren (“to stagger; be unsteady, tremble, quiver; to stammer; be entangled, get caught”), further origin unknown. Probably from a North Germanic source such as Old Norse faltrask (“to hesitate, be puzzled, be encumbered”). May also be a frequentative of fold, although the change from d to t is unusual.

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