[Freq. f. STUT v.1: see -ER5. Equivalent forms in other Teut. langs. are MDu. stoteren (Du. stutteren), MLG. stoteren (mod.LG. stötern), mod.G. stottern (from LG.), Sw. dial. stutra, Norw. stotra (Ross).
The late date of the appearance of the word in Eng. is remarkable; possibly the frequentative formation was suggested by the Du. form.]
1. intr. To speak with continued involuntary repetition of sounds or syllables, owing to excitement, fear, or constitutional nervous defect; to stammer.
1570. Levins, Manip., 79/7. To stutter, titubare.
1586. B. Young, trans. Guazzo’s Civ. Conv., IV. 187 b. All the companie laughed at this word (Aripistus) who stuttering, and against his will, hastelie spake it.
1598. Marston, Sco. Villanie, To Judicial Perusers B 4 b. I dare defend my plainnes gainst the veriuyce face of the crabbed’st Satyrist that euer stuttered.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., I. ii. I. iv. 77. Those that stutter and are balde, will be soonest melancholy.
1686. Lond. Gaz., No. 2128/4. James Wybert, a well-proportioned tall man,… stutters much in his speech,… went away … with a chesnut coloured Horse.
1711. J. Greenwood, Engl. Gram., 31. He had taught … several of our own Countrymen who stutter’d extreamly.
1730. Swift, Traulus, I. And though you hear him stut-tut-tut-ter, He barks as fast as he can utter.
1764. Foote, Patron, II. ii. This gentleman has … a small natural infirmity; he stutters a little.
1856. J. W. Croker, in C. Papers (1884), I. 6. I … stuttered; for … I had a most distressing impediment in my speech.
1899. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., VII. 452. Several patients always stuttered on the initial letter if the word subsequently contained an r, which they pronounced as w.
b. transf.
1831. Scott, Jrnl., 5 April. I have a hideous paralytic custom of stuttering with my pen.
1911. [see STUTTERING vbl. sb.].
2. trans. To say or speak with a stutter. Also with out.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett. (1655), IV. vii. 16. The Pagan Poet who stutter’d out this verse, that ther are but two good hours of any woman.
1709. [W. King], Usef. Trans. Philos., March & April, 42. The Eloquence of the Vice-Roy … who stutters Gibberish of the Author’s own Composing.
1849. G. P. R. James, Woodman, x. He attempted to stutter some vain excuses.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., xvii. IV. 7. The nonsense stuttered by the tipsy nobles of the Empire.
1864. Burton, Scot Abr., II. ii. 178. The brave and reckless prince, who could not speak French, and only stuttered German.
