fumble
verb uk/ˈfʌm.bəl/ us/ˈfʌm.bəl/
(DO STH AWKWARDLY)
[ I usually + adv/prep ]笨手笨脚地做;(尤指)摸索,乱摸
to do something awkwardly, especially when using your hands
I fumbled with the lock. 我笨手笨脚地想把锁打开。
He fumbled in his pockets for some change. 他在口袋里摸索着找零钱。
She fumbled around/about in her handbag, looking for her key. 她在手提袋里摸索着找钥匙。
They fumbled around/about (= moved awkwardly) in the dark, trying to find their way out of the cinema. 他们在黑暗中摸索,想从电影院里出去。
(SPORT)
[ I,T ]漏接(球)
in sport, to fail to catch a ball
If Wilson hadn't fumbled that catch, we might have won the match. 如果威尔逊没有漏掉那个球,这场比赛我们可能就会赢了。
(THINK OF A WORD)
[ I usually + adv/prep ]找不到合适的词表达;搜肠刮肚
to have difficulty saying or thinking of suitable words
I was fumbling for the right word. 我正在搜肠刮肚,想找一个合适的词。