to walk, move, or stand unsteadily.

to falter or begin to give way, as in an argument or fight.

to waver or begin to doubt, as in purpose or opinion; hesitate

After staggering momentarily, he recognized that he had to make a decision.

to cause to reel, totter, or become unsteady

This load would stagger an elephant.

to shock; render helpless with amazement or the like; astonish

The vastness of outer space staggers the mind.

to cause to waver or falter

The news staggered her belief in the triumph of justice.

to arrange in a zigzag order or manner on either side of a center

The captain staggered the troops along the road.

to arrange otherwise than at the same time, esp. in a series of alternating or continually overlapping intervals

They planned to stagger lunch hours so that the cafeteria would not be rushed.

Aeronautics . to arrange (the wings of a biplane or the like) so that the entering edge of an upper wing is either in advance of or behind that of a corresponding lower wing.

the act of staggering; a reeling or tottering movement or motion.

a staggered order or arrangement.

Aeronautics .

a staggered arrangement of wings.

the amount of staggering.

staggers. ( used with a singular verb ) Veterinary Pathology .

Also called blind staggers. acute selenium poisoning of livestock characterized by a staggering gait usually followed by respiratory failure and death.

a condition of unknown cause, occurring in pregnant sheep, cattle, and other animals during or just following extended transport, characterized by a staggering gait and progressive paralysis.

verb

alternate , careen , dither , falter , halt , hesitate , lurch , overlap , pitch , reel , shake , stammer , step , sway , swing , teeter , titubate , topple , totter , vacillate , waver , wheel , whiffle , wobble , zigzag , amaze , astonish , boggle , bowl over * , confound , consternate , devastate , dumbfound , flabbergast , floor * , give a shock , nonplus , overpower , overwhelm , paralyze , perplex , puzzle , shatter , startle , strike dumb , stump , stun , stupefy , surprise , take aback , take breath away , throw off balance , stumble , weave , blunder , bumble , bungle , flounder , fudge , fumble , limp , shuffle , pause , shilly-shally , bowl over , floor , astound , dumfound , hobble , rock , shift , shock , unsettle , welter