wobble
verb /ˈwɒbl/
/ˈwɑːbl/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they wobble | /ˈwɒbl/ /ˈwɑːbl/ |
| he / she / it wobbles | /ˈwɒblz/ /ˈwɑːblz/ |
| past simple wobbled | /ˈwɒbld/ /ˈwɑːbld/ |
| past participle wobbled | /ˈwɒbld/ /ˈwɑːbld/ |
| -ing form wobbling | /ˈwɒblɪŋ/ /ˈwɑːblɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive, transitive] to move from side to side in an unsteady way; to make something do this
- This chair wobbles.
- (figurative) Her voice wobbled with emotion.
- wobble something Don't wobble the table—I'm trying to write.
Extra Examples- His legs began to wobble under him.
- The vase wobbled and then crashed to the ground.
- [intransitive] + adv./prep. to go in a particular direction while moving from side to side in an unsteady way
- He wobbled off on his bike.
- [intransitive] to hesitate or lose confidence about doing something
- Yesterday the president showed the first signs of wobbling over the issue.
Word Originmid 17th cent. (earlier as wabble): of Germanic origin; compare with Old Norse vafla ‘waver’; related to the verb wave.