Forms: 4–5 blondren, blundren, 5 blundir, -yr, 5–6 blondre, -er, blounder, blundre, 7– blunder. [ME. blondren; of uncertain origin: a good deal depends upon whether the ME. -on- here, as often (cf. wonder, sunder), stands merely graphically for -un-, or is etymological. In the latter case an explanation of blonder as a frequentative of blond, BLAND v., to mix, would well account for the transitive senses. The suggestion that it is a frequentative from Icel. blonda to doze (Sw. blunda to shut the eyes), suits the intransitive senses, but is otherwise doubtful; cf. however BLUND. Perhaps there are really two distinct verbs, with their later senses affected by each other.]
I. To confuse, confound.
† 1. trans. To mix up or mingle confusedly; to confuse, disturb; to make (water) turbid. Obs.
c. 1440. York Myst., xvi. 4. Blonderand þer blastis, to blaw when I bidde.
1530. Palsgr., 458/2. I blonder, Je perturbe … Who hat blondred these thynges on this facyon?
1586. Ferne, Blaz. Gentrie, Ded. The whole … frame of this earth seemeth blundered and confounded with the innumerable Catalogues of Interpreters.
1638. R. Baker, trans. Balzac’s Lett., III. vi. (1654), 75. I blunder the water of all Rivers I cross.
† b. To confound, distract (in understanding).
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 3976. ‘Blyve,’ sais thies bolde mene ‘Thow blondirs þi selfene.’
a. 1715. H. Ditton, Disc. Resurrect., I. § 29 (1727), 53 (R.). So as by any means whatsoever to blunder an Adversary.
† c. To put out of order, derange, injure. Obs.
1440. J. Shirley, Dethe K. James (1818), 15. The lokes ver so blundrid, that thay nethir couth ne myght shut hit [a door].
2. To confound (in one’s mind) stupidly.
1676. Stillingfl., Def. Disc. Idol. Ch. Rome, I. ii. 320 (J.). He blunders and confounds all these together.
1842. S. R. Maitland, Remarks, 9. That ingenious writer also blunders him with Arnold of Brescia.
II. To move, act, or perform, blindly or stupidly.
3. intr. To move blindly or stupidly; to flounder, stumble. Often with on; also to blunder one’s way along; and in senses partaking of 7, as to blunder into, against.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Chan. Yem. Prol. & T., 861. Bayard the blynde, That blundreth [v.r. blondreth] forth, and peril casteth noon.
1520. Whitinton, Vulg. (1527), 2. Wandre bloundryng as a blynde man.
a. 1700. Dryden, Pal. & Arc., I. 435. The sot … blunders on and staggers every pace.
1766. New Bath Guide, i. 67. To see them blund’ring by my side.
1858. Hawthorne, Fr. & It. Jrnls., I. 79. We had blundered into the carriage-entrance.
1869. Parkman, Disc. Gt. West, v. (1875), 55. A large fish … blundered against Marquette’s canoe.
1869. Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1876), III. xii. 175. They … blundered on hopelessly through the unknown … country.
1880. Miss Bird, Japan, II. 143. The horses had to blunder their way along a bright, rushing river.
b. fig. To flounder, stumble.
1641. Milton, Ch. Discip., I. Wks. (1851), 30. Blundring upon the dangerous and suspectfull translations of the Apostat Aquila.
1728. Young, Love Fame, V. (1757), 132. Puzzled learning blunders far behind.
1735. Pope, Prol. Sat., 186. He who now to sense, now nonsense leaning, Means not, but blunders round about a meaning.
1817. Byron, Beppo, xxvii. He had somehow blunder’d into debt.
1871. Lowell, Study Wind., 38–9. A tempest is blundering round the house.
c. To blunder upon: to come upon by a blunder or ‘fluke.’
1710. H. Bedford, Vind. Ch. Eng., 78. Our Discoverer has in this Matter happen’d to blunder upon the truth.
1798. Wolcott (P. Pindar), Tales Hoy, Wks. 1812, IV. 418. Who never so much as blundered on a bon-mot.
d. trans. To blunder out: to produce by mere blundering or blind action.
1678. Cudworth, Intell. Syst., I. v. 679. The things of the world … not … made by the previous counsel, contrivance, and intention of any understanding Deity … blunder’d out themselves, one after another, according to the train or sequel of the fortuitous motions of matter.
† 4. intr. To deal blindly and stupidly. Obs.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Chan. Yem. Prol. & T., 117. We blondren [v.r. blondern, bloundren, blundren, blundere] euere, and pouren in the fuyr.
1471. Ripley, Comp. Alch., V. xli. in Ashm. (1652), 157. These Phylosophers … Medlyth and blondryth wyth many a thyng.
5. trans. To utter thoughtlessly, stupidly, or by a blunder, to blurt out. Usually with out.
1483. Cath. Angl., 35. To Blundir, [A. blundyr, blandior].
1570–87. Holinshed, Scot. Chron. (1806), II. 81. The same began to be blundered from one to another of the train.
1587. Censure loy. Subiect (Collier), 28. He blundered forth his prognostication.
1701. Swift, Mrs. Harris’ Petit., Wks. 1755, III. II. 61. Before I was aware, out I blunder’d; ‘Parson,’ said I.
1755. Smollett, Quix. (1803), II. 38. Sancho blundered out, ‘Then in good faith, Mr. Licentiate,’ [etc.].
6. refl. (in sense of 3 or 7.)
a. 1652. J. Smith, Sel. Disc., iii. 51. Herein all the Epicureans … do miserably blunder themselves.
7. intr. To make a stupid and gross mistake in doing anything. To blunder away (trans.): to throw away, lose by blundering: cf. to fool away.
1711. Swift, Lett. (1767), III. 10. See how I blundered, and left two lines short.
1792. Anecd. W. Pitt, I. ii. 36. The wretch that, after having seen the consequences of a thousand errors, continues still to blunder.
1801. W. Taylor, in Month. Mag., XII. 588. Mr. Fox has never blundered away the interests of his country.
1855. Tennyson, Charge Lt. Brigade, 12. The soldier knew Some one had blunder’d.
8. trans. To mismanage, make a blunder in.
1805. Wellington, in Owen, Disp., 789. They must have blundered that siege terribly.
1816. Scott, Antiq., vi. The banker’s clerk, who was directed to sum my cash-account, blundered it three times.
1876. Humphrey, Coin Coll. Man., xxvi. 391. Inscriptions blundered by the die engraver.
¶ Cockeram (1623), has ‘Blunder, to bestir ones selfe.’
