A Stumbling Block Is a Very Old Metaphor
To stumble is to trip while walking. The phrase about stumbling blocks comes from biblical translation and has stayed for four centuries.
To stumble is to catch your foot and lose balance. The metaphor arrived through Bible translation: *stumbling block* rendered a Greek word for a trap laid in the path, the same word that gave English *scandal*. It has meant an obstacle to progress ever since.
- To trip while walking. *He stumbled on the step.*
- To make mistakes while speaking. *She stumbled over the name.*
- To find by chance. *We stumbled upon a bookshop.*
- Stumbling block — an obstacle. *Cost is the main stumbling block.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | stumble | Stumble in the dark. |
| Past | stumbled | He stumbled badly. |
| Noun | stumble | A slight stumble. |
| Compound | stumbling block | A stumbling block. |
| Related | trip | Trip over a cable. |
How it is used in a sentence
- She stumbled but did not fall.Physical.
- We stumbled across the answer.By accident.
- Funding remains the stumbling block.The obstacle to agreement.
Ways of losing your footing
- Stumble — catch the foot and stagger
- Trip — catch on something and fall
- Slip — lose grip on a surface
- Stagger — walk unsteadily
- Falter — hesitate, physically or in speech
A Middle English word of Scandinavian origin, related to *stammer* — both describe interrupted movement, one of the feet and one of speech.
Are stumble and scandal related?
Not in origin, but they are linked by translation: both render a Greek word for a trap or snare set in someone's path.
Stumble upon or stumble across?
Both mean to find by chance. Upon is slightly more common in British English, across in American.