# totter

**Pronunciation:** ˈtɒtər · TOT-er

**Part of speech:** verb

## Meaning 1: when describing unsteady movement

Move in an unsteady, wobbling way as if about to fall.

## Examples

- The elderly man began to totter as he stood up from the park bench.
- She had to totter on her high heels across the uneven cobblestone street.
- The old wooden fence started to totter in the strong wind.

## Meaning 2: when describing institutions

Be on the verge of collapse or failure.

## Examples

- The government began to totter after the corruption scandal broke.
- The empire started to totter under the weight of internal rebellion.
- The company's stock price caused the entire firm to totter on the brink of bankruptcy.

## Synonyms

- wobble — General term for moving unsteadily from side to side.
- stagger — Suggests moving unsteadily due to weakness, intoxication, or heavy weight.
- teeter — Focuses on the precarious balance of being on the edge of falling.
- lurch — Implies a sudden, jerky, and uncontrolled movement.

## Common patterns

- totter on — To be in a precarious state or near a specific outcome. — The business continues to totter on the edge of insolvency.
- totter across — To move unsteadily from one point to another. — The child managed to totter across the room to reach his mother.

Canonical URL: https://anaversity.com/dictionary/english/tottering

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