Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Teeter
Tee′ter
,Verb.
I.
& T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Teetered
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Teetering
.] [Prov. E.
titter
to tremble, to seesaw; cf. Icel. titra
to tremble, OHG. zittarōn
, G. zittern
.] To move up and down on the ends of a balanced plank, or the like, as children do for sport; to seesaw; to titter; to titter-totter.
[U. S.]
[The bobolink] alit upon the flower, and
teetered
up and down. H. W. Beecher.
Definition 2024
teeter
teeter
English
Verb
teeter (third-person singular simple present teeters, present participle teetering, simple past and past participle teetered)
- To tilt back and forth on an edge.
- Adjust the feet if you can teeter the washing machine.
- (figuratively) To be indecisive.
- We teetered on the fence about buying getaway tickets and missed the opportunity.
- (figuratively) To be close to becoming a typically negative situation.
- Despite appearances, the firm was teetering on the edge of bankruptcy.
Derived terms
- teeterer
- teeter-totter
- teeterboard
Translations
tilt back and forth on an edge