stammer

4 definitions • 7 examples

to speak or say something with unusual pauses or repeated sounds, either because of speech problems or because of fear or nervousness :

[ + speech ] "Wh-when can we g-go?" she stammered.

He dialled 999 and stammered (out) his name and address.

a speech problem in which someone speaks with unusual pauses or repeated sounds :

Robert has a slight stammer.

Speech lessons had corrected a childhood stammer.

the act of saying something with unusual paused or repeated sounds because of fear or nervousness:

Although he said he felt calm, there was a slight stammer in his voice.

She was a gangly girl of 15, all stammers and blushes.

to speak or say something with unusual pauses or repeated sounds; stutter:

[ I ] He stammers when he is nervous.