I was wondering if the word fumble was created by someone in football, or if the word already had widespread use before football.
2006-08-26 19:28:06 · 4 answers · asked by andujar1984 2 in Sports ➔ Football (American)
No it did not originate with football. Here is one source.
fumble
c.1450, "handle clumsily," possibly from O.N. falma "to fumble, grope." Similar words in Scand. and North Sea Gmc. suggest onomatopoeia from a sound felt to indicate clumsiness (cf. bumble, stumble, and obsolete Eng. famble, fimble of roughly the same meaning).
2006-08-27 02:27:28 · answer #1 · answered by maynorda 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The word fumble (meaning to handle something awkwardly) was around before football.
2006-08-27 02:36:43 · answer #2 · answered by no nickname 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its been around since the invention of the bra: "He fumbled around with the mysterious clasps securing the delicate lace straps behind her back, much to her exasperation."
2006-08-27 02:55:51 · answer #3 · answered by Tuna-San 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It comes from Fumla which means to grope so it has been around in some form for a long time.
2006-08-27 02:34:54 · answer #4 · answered by ? 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋