What is the meaning of "blunder down"? [closed]

Question

What is the meaning of "blunder down" in the following sentence?

Sam blundered down the steps.

Does its meaning depend on sentences?

Answer 1

As with many words, the meaning depends on context.

The verb blunder means alternatively:

• to move in an awkward way

  I could hear him blundering around in the darkness.

• to make a (serious) mistake, usually because of not taking care or thinking

  Police blundered by not releasing more details about the case to focus public interest.

In this case, blundering down the steps would have the former meaning, as in

Sam tripped/staggered/stumbled down the steps.

To take the latter meaning it would be phrased like

Same blundered in/by going down the steps.

Answer 2

In this situation according to Longman Dictionary applies definition #1, as a verb:

blunder, verb
1 [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to move in an unsteady way, as if you cannot see properly blunder about/around:

Someone was blundering about in the kitchen.

blunder into/past/through etc something:

Phil came blundering down the stairs.