totter

Totter, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Tottered; p. pr. & vb. n. Tottering.]

Etymology: [Probably for older tolter; cf. AS. tealtrian to totter, vacillate. Cf.Tilt to incline, Toddle, Tottle, Totty.]

1. To shake so as to threaten a fall; to vacillate; to be unsteady; to stagger; as,an old man totters with age. "As a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence." Ps. lxii. 3.

2. To shake; to reel; to lean; to waver. Troy nods from high, and totters to her fall. Dryden.

Shades of meaning

Fernald has no entry of its own for totter; he lists it under shake.

Where he writes about it:

To reel or totter always implies liability to fall; reeling is more violent than swaying, tottering more irregular; a drunken man reels; we speak of the tottering step of age or infancy. — from shake

Synonyms

shake agitate brandish flap fluctuate flutter jar joggle jolt jounce oscillate quake quaver quiver reel rock shiver shudder sway swing thrill tremble vibrate wave waver

Antonyms

none given

etymology Webster’s online