blunder

The story

1. Old Norse · derived fromblunda“to shut the eyes; doze”
2. Middle English · derived fromblunden“to stagger; stumble”
3. Middle English · derived fromblundren
4. Middle English · derived fromblonden
5. Middle English · derived fromblondren
6. Middle English · inherited fromblundren
7. English todayblunder

Inherited from Middle English blundren, blondren (verb) and blunder, blonder (“disturbance, strife”), from the verb; partly from Middle English blondren, a frequentative form of Middle English blonden, blanden ("to mix; mix up"; corresponding to blend + -er); and partly from Middle English blundren, a frequentative form of Middle English blunden (“to stagger; stumble”), from Old Norse blunda (“to shut the eyes; doze”). Cognates include Norwegian blunda (“to shut the eyes; doze”), dialectal Swedish blundra (“to act blindly or rashly”), Danish blunde (“to blink”) or blunde (“to take a nap”), Icelandic blunda (“to nap; doze”). Related to English blind.

First known use, by meaning

• ca. 1375–1774 Confusion; bewilderment; trouble; disturbance; clamour.
• from 1706 To make a big mistake, especially when it is careless or stupid.
• from 1706 To make a bad move, especially caused by tactical oversight.
• from 1706 To lose a piece due to having made a bad move [with the piece lost].
• from 1706 To overlook the possibility of, or end up in, a specified undesirable situation after making a bad move.
• from ca. 1386, figurative sense from 1641 To move in an unsteady way.