See Also: stagger(1)(dictionary)
stagger(2)(dictionary)
stagger(dictionary)
stagger 1, verb(dictionary)
stagger 2, noun(dictionary)
Stagger - Motor Sports(gambling)
Stagger (Closed Wheel) - Motor Sports(gambling)
Stagger (Open Wheel) - Motor Sports(gambling)

stagger (iou)



stagger verb. LME.
[Alt. of STACKER verb.]
I. verb intrans.
Sway or move unsteadily from side to side; walk with unsteady zigzagging steps; totter as a result of weakness, intoxication, the carrying of a heavy load, etc. LME.
J. Conrad A push made him stagger against the mizzen-mast. A. Ransome Staggering along the pavement with baskets crammed to the brims. E. Johnson The drunken revellers staggering home at..dawn. F. King My father slowly rose, staggered a little, and then took a faltering step. fig.: J. Barnes Both..recovered, and staggered on through the year.
b. Of the senses: reel. rare. E19.
c. Of a ship: move unsteadily and with difficulty. M19.
Begin to doubt or waver in an opinion, faith, or purpose; falter, hesitate at. Formerly also foll. by that. Now rare. E16.
Of an army, line of battle, etc.: waver, give way. M16.
II. verb trans.
Bewilder, confuse, nonplus; astonish, shock. Freq. in pass. M16.
M. Sinclair The naked impudence of it..staggered him. Broadcast He was staggered at the quantity of programmes in which James..had been involved. G. Daly The committee..was staggered by the bill they ran up. L. Kennedy I am staggered how easily it was all arranged.
b. Cause to waver or falter. Formerly also, throw doubt upon. E17.
R. L. Stevenson Nothing can stagger a child's faith.
Cause to totter, esp. from a blow. L16.
F. Marryat I received a blow on the head from behind, which staggered me.
b. Shake the stability of (a country, government, etc.). E17.
Cause (a line or body of troops) to waver or give way. E18.
Arrange in a zigzag order or in positions which are not in line; spec. (a) arrange (a road junction) so that the side roads are not in line; (b) set (the spokes of a wheel) to incline alternately right and left from the hub. Freq. as staggered ppl adjective. M19.
J. B. Bishop The lamps are staggered..to illuminate both..chambers. M. Angelou Forty people sat staggered in an auditorium which could hold seven hundred.
Arrange (holidays, hours of work, etc.) so that the given times do not coincide exactly; arrange for the occurrence or implementation of (an event or action) to be spread over a period of time. Freq. as staggered ppl adjective. E20.
Construction News To keep down vibrations..the charges were staggered to go off over six seconds.
staggerer noun (a) a person who staggers; (b) a thing that causes a person to stagger; esp. an astonishing or bewildering event etc.: M16.
staggerment noun (rare) great astonishment M20.