verb
fumfer
Fumfer (verb) means (informal) To talk in a hesitant, evasive way, avoiding a clear answer.
verb
1
(informal) To talk in a hesitant, evasive way, avoiding a clear answer.
"She fumfered around and refused to give a straight answer."
"Fumfering – a word we get from Yiddish – means to mumble, mutter, murmur, dither, waffle, be evasive, temporize and stall. Fumfering is also the right term to describe Israel’s immoral and imprudent policy on the Ukraine crisis and war."
— Alon Pinkas, Israel’s Ukraine Policy Isn't Only Immoral. It's Also Unwise (2022)
2
To fiddle about with something, often clumsily.
"I fumfered with the USB stick, trying and failing to plug it in."
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Etymology
From Yiddish פֿאָנפֿען (fonfen, “to speak with a nasal twang, to mumble”) + -er (frequentative suffix). First attested in 1954. Compare fumf.
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of fumfer?
"fumfer" (verb) means (informal) To talk in a hesitant, evasive way, avoiding a clear answer.
What is another word for fumfer?
Other words for "fumfer" include mumble, glaum, grope, fumble, grabble, fish.
What are the different meanings of fumfer?
"fumfer" has 2 main meanings: 1. (informal) To talk in a hesitant, evasive way, avoiding a clear answer; 2. To fiddle about with something, often clumsily.
