stutter

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stut·ter / ˈstətər/ • v. [intr.] talk with continued involuntary repetition of sounds, esp. initial consonants: the child was stuttering in fright. ∎  [tr.] utter in such a way: he shyly stuttered out an invitation to the movies | [with direct speech] “W-what's happened?” she stuttered. ∎  (of a machine or gun) produce a series of short, sharp sounds: she flinched as a machine gun stuttered nearby.• n. a tendency to stutter while speaking. ∎  a series of short, sharp sounds produced by a machine or gun.DERIVATIVES: stut·ter·er n.stut·ter·ing·ly adv.

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