wobble

Everyday

1. To wobble is to move unsteadily from side to side, as if about to fall. tree →
2. A wobble is an unsteady movement. tree →
3. To wobble can mean to feel unsure or not confident for a moment. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life and safety, a wobbly chair, ladder or loose tooth wobbles; wobbly things should be fixed or not stood on. Learning to ride a bike, children wobble at first. In science, a spinning top wobbles as it slows down. In stories, jelly wobbles. Phrases: «wobbly tooth», «have a wobble», «wobble on a bike».

Examples

• The jelly wobbled on the plate. tree →
• My front tooth is wobbling. tree →
• I wobbled a lot when I first rode my bike. tree →
• Don't stand on the wobbly chair. tree →
• The table wobbles because one leg is short. tree →
• The top wobbled and then fell over. tree →
• She had a wobble before her solo but sang beautifully. tree →
• The tower of blocks began to wobble. tree →

Note

Past form: wobbled. Adjective: wobbly (wobblier, wobbliest). «Have a wobble» (British) means feel nervous or unsure for a moment. Safety: never climb on wobbly furniture.