from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Falter \Fal"ter\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Faltered}; p. pr. & vb.
n. {Faltering}.] [OE. falteren, faltren, prob. from fault.
See {Fault}, v. & n.]
1. To hesitate; to speak brokenly or weakly; to stammer; as,
his tongue falters.
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With faltering speech and visage incomposed.
--Milton.
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2. To tremble; to totter; to be unsteady. "He found his legs
falter." --Wiseman.
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3. To hesitate in purpose or action.
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Ere her native king
Shall falter under foul rebellion's arms. --Shak.
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4. To fail in distinctness or regularity of exercise; -- said
of the mind or of thought.
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Here indeed the power of disinct conception of space
and distance falters. --I. Taylor.
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