Hypertext Webster Gateway: "staggering"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Stagger \Stag"ger\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Staggered}; p. pr. &
vb. n. {Staggering}.] [OE. stakeren, Icel. stakra to push, to
stagger, fr. staka to punt, push, stagger; cf. OD. staggeren
to stagger. Cf. {Stake}, n.]
1. To move to one side and the other, as if about to fall, in
standing or walking; not to stand or walk with steadiness;
to sway; to reel or totter.
Deep was the wound; he staggered with the blow.
--Dryden.
2. To cease to stand firm; to begin to give way; to fail.
``The enemy staggers.'' --Addison.
3. To begin to doubt and waver in purposes; to become less
confident or determined; to hesitate.
He [Abraham] staggered not at the promise of God
through unbelief. --Rom. iv. 20.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
staggering
adj 1: walking unsteadily [syn: {lurching}, {stumbling}, {weaving}]
2: so surprisingly impressive as to stun or overwhelm; "such an
enormous response was astonishing"; "an astounding
achievement"; "the amount of money required was
staggering"; "suffered a staggering defeat"; "the figure
inside the boucle dress was stupefying" [syn: {astonishing},
{astounding}, {stupefying}]
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