- 1v/ˈfɔːltər/ · /ˈfɔːltə/start to fail轉弱
To become weaker or less successful and start to fail, so that something can no longer keep going well.
文法不及物動詞：後面不接受詞。
「falter」講的是本來在走的東西「腳步亂掉、撐不下去」。主詞常是經濟、生意、談判、計畫或支持度。它不是「停止」也不是「失敗」，而是介於中間——還在動，但力氣明顯不夠了，隨時可能垮，所以新聞常說 show signs of faltering（出現轉弱的跡象）。跟 fail（真的垮了）比，falter 是垮掉之前的那一段。
示範例句 · Example
Reports say the economy is showing signs of faltering.
中文翻譯報導說經濟正在顯示轉弱的跡象。
常見搭配
begin to falter
開始轉弱
to start becoming weaker
Sales began to falter after the summer.
show signs of faltering
出現轉弱的跡象
to look as if it is starting to weaken
The market is showing signs of faltering.
never falter
從未動搖
to stay strong the whole way through
Her support for the club never faltered.
falter badly
嚴重轉弱
to weaken a great deal
The plan faltered badly in its second year.
- 2v/ˈfɔːltər/ · /ˈfɔːltə/shaky voice（聲音）打顫
When your voice falters, it sounds weak and unsure and keeps stopping, usually because you are upset or nervous.
文法及物、不及物兩種都可以：後面可以接受詞，也可以不接。
這個 falter 專門講聲音：講到一半聲音變小、變抖、斷斷續續，多半是因為感動、緊張或難過。最常見的主詞就是 voice——Her voice faltered。它也可以直接當「說話動詞」用，把說出來的話放在前面：'I can't,' she faltered.（她囁嚅著說。）跟 stutter（口吃，字卡在嘴裡）不同，falter 是情緒讓聲音撐不住，不是發音的問題。
常見搭配
somebody's voice falters
聲音發顫
a voice becomes weak and unsteady
Her voice faltered when she said his name.
falter and stop
聲音一抖就停住
to become unsteady and then break off
He faltered and stopped in the middle of the sentence.
falter slightly
微微發顫
to become a little unsteady
His voice faltered slightly, then steadied.
falter over a word
在某個字上卡住
to stumble when saying a particular word
She faltered over the name and tried again.
意思相反
- 3v/ˈfɔːltər/ · /ˈfɔːltə/lose resolve動搖
To become less sure and less determined about something you have decided to do.
文法不及物動詞：後面不接受詞。
這個 falter 講的是決心：本來很篤定要做的事，中途開始猶豫、力氣鬆掉。常見的主詞是 resolve、determination、courage、confidence，也可以直接是人。最常聽到的說法是 We must not falter（我們不能動搖）。跟 change your mind（真的改變主意）不同，falter 是「還沒改，但撐得有點勉強」，所以常出現在鼓勵人撐下去的句子裡。
常見搭配
not falter in your resolve
決心不動搖
to keep your determination firm
We must not falter in our resolve.
determination never falters
決心從不動搖
determination stays strong throughout
His determination to keep going never faltered.
falter at the last moment
在最後關頭動搖
to hesitate right at the end
She almost faltered at the last moment.
courage falters
勇氣鬆動
someone's courage becomes weaker
His courage faltered as he reached the door.
- 4v/ˈfɔːltər/ · /ˈfɔːltə/stumble or stop mid-step腳步一頓
To stop walking for a moment, or to walk in an unsteady way, because you suddenly feel weak, tired, or afraid.
文法不及物動詞：後面不接受詞。
這個 falter 講的是腳步：走著走著突然頓住一下，或步伐變得不穩，原因通常是累了、暈了或心裡怕。它跟 trip（被東西絆到）、stumble（踉蹌一下）不一樣——falter 的原因來自身體或心裡，不是外面的障礙物。常見寫法是 falter for a moment（頓了一下）。這是 falter 最具體的一個意思，其他幾個都可以想成從這個畫面延伸出去的。
常見搭配
falter for a moment
腳步頓了一下
to stop or become unsteady very briefly
She faltered for a moment, then kept going.
falter and stop
一頓就停住
to become unsteady and then stand still
He faltered and stopped at the door.
somebody's footsteps falter
腳步變得遲疑
someone's walking becomes unsteady
His footsteps faltered on the dark path.
falter slightly
腳步微微不穩
to become just a little unsteady
She faltered slightly but did not fall.
意思相反
原始詞典資料8 筆記錄
以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，摘錄並精簡格式，我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的；有些用法可能上面已經講過了。
falternoun/ˈfɒltə/
- 1
An unsteadiness.
- Tom, who isn't paying much attention, is suddenly caught by the falter in his voice as he reads the two lines—
falterverb/ˈfɒltə/
- 1
To waver or be unsteady; to weaken or trail off.
- He found his legs falter.
- Considering the results of the study, today John may be buoyed at the clear trend of increasing numbers of new “lishes” for each successive decade since the 1950s, and the fact that nothing in the data suggests this trend is likely to falter.
- 2
To stammer; to utter with hesitation, or in a weak and trembling manner.
- And here he faltered forth his last farewell.
- With faltering speech and visage incomposed.
- 3
To fail in distinctness or regularity of exercise; said of the mind or of thought.
- Here indeed the power of distinctly conceiving of space and distance falters.
- 4
To stumble.
- 5
To lose faith or vigor; to doubt or abandon (a cause).
- And remember, comrades, your resolution must never falter.
- The most important foreign policy problem I faced was that of signaling to the world what kind of man I was and what sort of policies I intended to carry out. It was important that there be no hesitancy on my part — nothing to indicate that the U.S. government had faltered. It was equally important for the world to understand that I intended to continue the government's established foreign policies and maintain the alliances of Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and John F. Kennedy — policies of firmness on the one hand and an effort to thaw the Cold War on the other.
- 6
To hesitate in purpose or action.
- Ere her native king / Shall falter under foul rebellion's arms.
- 7
To cleanse or sift, as barley.
- Barley[…]clean falter'd from Hairs
摘錄自 英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary，已精簡格式；依 CC BY-SA 4.0 授權使用，改動後的內容同樣以此授權提供。