'fumbling' is a correct and usable word in written English
It is usually used to describe someone who is clumsy or awkward in movements, and can also describe someone who is speaking or thinking incoherently. For example: "Tim was fumbling to get the right words out, stuttering and tripping over his sentences."
"I can't join him because I've got two hernias," he claimed, fumbling for an excuse.
After a couple of goes at fumbling for the knife, I found I was able to pick it up smoothly and tap it against the wine glass without having to take my eyes off the other wedding guests.
By contrast, many politicians on Europe's right look and feel sad, tweedy and tired.Robbed by the end of the cold war of its old claim to be the chief guardian of democratic liberty, and muscled out of the centre by the new left, the right is fumbling for a way to redefine itself.
According to Vincent Chang of Goldman Sachs, credit is a luxury.In this section Fumbling towards a truce In need of a bigger boat An indigestible problem Robostop Profits puzzle Rollover roulette Old-age tension As high as an elephant's eye Double entry Search and employ ReprintsA stringent regulatory environment ought to erode profits.
Others felt the Sri Lankan government was fumbling around for a scapegoat.The real trouble was that India had said initially that it would oppose the resolution.
And the credit crunch has made the sums look even worse.In this section Fumbling towards a truce In need of a bigger boat An indigestible problem Robostop Profits puzzle Rollover roulette Old-age tension As high as an elephant's eye Double entry Search and employ ReprintsIt is not just pensions.
Firms are still fumbling around trying to figure out what that sort of thing allows them to do.
Sailing "seems to be fumbling its way into trying to make the sport more appealing for television," says Stephen Park, the Olympic manager of Britain's Royal Yachting Association, "but surely there is a better way than trialing new media initiatives at the World Championship".
George Brandis, the attorney-general, followed in the prime minister's footsteps just days later, fumbling so inexpertly through a television interview about the policy as to drive online fun-pokers to put together a video of his stutterings.
What we know Code, but no ethics The also-rans Trucking hell After Parmalat Reprints Related items Lexington: Time for him to go?Feb 19th 2004 Iraqi business: Jobs for the boys—and for foreignersOct 9th 2003 The reconstruction business: Cheney's cronies?Mar 20th 2003After fumbling for ages, Halliburton is now fighting back.
If nothing else, that might persuade the government wary of fumbling the referendum campaign and presiding over an economically disastrous "out" vote to lend Mr Shindler an ear.
