Stagger

[imp. & p. p. STAGGERED; p. pr. & vb. n. STAGGERING.] [O. D. staggeren, to stagger, from staken, staecken, to stop; Prov. Ger. staggeln, stockern, H. Ger. stocken, to stammer.]

1Sense 1. To move to one side and the other in standing or walking; not to stand or walk with steadiness; to reel; to vacillate.

Deep was the wound; he staggered with the blow. Dryden.

2Sense 2. To cease to stand firm; to begin to give way; to fail. “The enemy staggers.” Addison.

3Sense 3. To begin to doubt and waver in purpose; to become less confident or determined; to hesitate.

He [Abraham] staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief. Rom. iv. 20.

v. t. 1. To cause to reel. 2. To cause to doubt and waver; to make to hesitate; to make less steady or confident; to shock. Whoever will read the story of this war will find himself much staggered. Howell. The grants to the house of Russel were so enormous, as not only to outrage economy, but even to stagger credibility. Burke.