when a ball carrier loses possession by dropping the ball or having it knocked away before a play ends; the first player to regain possession of the loose ball is said to make the recovery, and his team becomes the offense
When you are trying to say something, if you fumble for the right words, you speak in a clumsy and unclear way. I fumbled for something to say He fumbled his lines, not knowing what he was going to say
(sports) dropping the ball drop or juggle or fail to play cleanly a grounder; "fumble a grounder" handle clumsily make one's way clumsily or blindly; "He fumbled towards the door
If you fumble for something or fumble with something, you try and reach for it or hold it in a clumsy way. She crept from the bed and fumbled for her dressing gown