falter
/ˈfɔːltə(r)/verb
no obj.
1- start to lose strength or momentum开始失去力度（或势头）：
her smile faltered and then faded
她的笑容渐渐收敛, 然后消失了
as adj. faltering his faltering career.他渐入低谷的事业。
1.1
- speak in a hesitant or unsteady voice吞吞吐吐地说; 结结巴巴地说：
with direct speech "A-Adam?" he faltered.“亚-亚当吗？”他结结巴巴地问道。
1.2
- move unsteadily or in a way that shows lack of confidence蹒跚, 踉跄; 结结巴巴畏缩不前：
he faltered and finally stopped in midstride.
他摇摇晃晃地走着, 最终停住了脚步。
派生词
falterer
nounfalteringly
adverb词源
late Middle English （in the senses 'stammer' and 'stagger'）： perhaps from the verb FOLD1 (which was occasionally used of the faltering of the legs or tongue) + -ter as in totter.