stumble against
The phrase "stumble against" can describe both a physical mishap and an unexpected discovery.
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Definition
B2Physical Movement
(literal, informal)To trip or lose balance by hitting an obstacle while walking or running.
Example
- He stumbled against the curb and nearly fell.
- Be careful not to stumble against the furniture in the dark.
B2Unexpected Discovery
(figurative, informal)To encounter or find something unexpectedly or by chance.
Example
- She stumbled against an old diary while cleaning the attic.
- During his research, he stumbled against a solution to the problem.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "stumble against":
stumble onstumble acrossstumble upontrip upbump intohit up againsttumble uprun intofall overtake a tumblebang intorun into onerun afoul ofcome uponcome acrossfall down onfall downfall upfall uponbang aroundcome a cropper